as in interpretive
serving to explain
an edition of Melville's novel that could use more explanative footnotes about whaling
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explanative
Adjective
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Ditto Dor, a former ballerina who pitches her character’s upwardly mobile striver somewhere between sultry slapstick and interpretive dance.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 Mar. 2026 -
If hired, interpretive rangers may be required to live in government quarters, wear a uniform, and be available to work on-call, including weekends and holidays, and to work overtime.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Outside,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Emmie’s condition is an interpretative riddle for both her parents and the reader.—
Giles Harvey,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Will the academy troll Chalamet (and the rest of us) with an interpretative dance performance?—
Glenn Whipp,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Its home screen’s hourly forecast consists of temperatures, weather icons, and illustrative background visuals, such as gloomy rain clouds, that sometimes fail to match the view out the window.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
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Polished concrete floors, plaster walls, steel fixtures, and simple wood elements are frequently leveraged to create the restrained, monochromatic palette that is so illustrative of Brutalism.—
Katherine McLaughlin,
Architectural Digest,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The final selection included 59 images presented in sequence—two per page—without captions or any explanatory text.—
Vanity Fair,
Vanity Fair,
26 Mar. 2026
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As the ceremony went on, his material focused on mocking things that undermine respect for the movies with bits about ads interrupting streaming movies, vertical video, and overly explanatory movie dialogue.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Hybrid lanterns that meet the aforementioned criteria are indeed out there, waiting to illuminate your next campsite, glamping trip, picnic, late-night reading session, or simply to add a little illuminative flare to that embarrassingly barren bookshelf in time for the next Zoom meeting.—
J.D. Simkins,
Sunset Magazine,
17 Feb. 2022
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Along the way, Robbins spices his story through illuminative moments and mini-biographies.—
OregonLive.com,
OregonLive.com,
14 Oct. 2017
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Cite this Entry
“Explanative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explanative. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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