communicative
Americanadjective
-
inclined to communicate or impart; talkative.
He isn't feeling very communicative today.
- Synonyms:
- expansive, voluble, loquacious, free-spoken
-
of or relating to communication.
adjective
-
inclined or able to communicate readily; talkative
-
of or relating to communication
Other Word Forms
- communicatively adverb
- communicativeness noun
- noncommunicative adjective
- noncommunicatively adverb
- noncommunicativeness noun
- overcommunicative adjective
- semicommunicative adjective
Etymology
Origin of communicative
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin commūnicātīvus, from commūnicāt(us) “imparted” (past participle of commūnicāre “to impart, make common”; communicate ) + -īvus -ive
Explanation
To be communicative is to have the ability to communicate — to exchange thoughts and ideas. Couples often go to counseling to learn to be more communicative. It's easy to see the verb communicate in the adjective communicative: a communicative person is one who can communicate easily. Being communicative is one of the qualities we most value in other people. There's nothing more frustrating than a person who's not communicative, because you can't talk to them. I'm surprised when others are surprised at how communicative my dog is. Aren't all dogs good at talking to their owners?
Vocabulary lists containing communicative
"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Texas v. Johnson (1989)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Classical architecture is prized for its communicative capacity, its ability to “speak.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
Going forward, with these friends or any others, I’d err on the side of being overly communicative.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 28, 2026
“Just talking, being communicative, knowing my guys around me, being in the right spots for spacing — anything,” Finney-Smith said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2025
Amy Campbell from Bexley got married in February 2023 and said in the lead-up to the wedding Ms Stanton had been "attentive and communicative".
From BBC • Jan. 6, 2025
From an accomplice and a communicative person he had become withdrawn and hostile.
From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
