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
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”; see 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.
It sounds freaky when you read about how the OpenAI hacker agents all “talked” to one another on special forums—but all software, generative or not, is communicative by nature.
From Slate ● Sep. 15, 2026
"Someone more flexible, more communicative, and more appealing to society -- but such a person does not seem to exist."
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
In a report published on Tuesday, the government cited its curfew trials as seeing the most sleep benefits, as well as more engaging and communicative family evenings, and a less burdensome set-up for parents.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
It points scientists toward the underlying cognitive and communicative forces that shape human language.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 5, 2026
Frodo did not prove very communicative, and he soon found himself sitting alone in a corner, listening and looking around.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
![]()
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.