demonstrative
Americanadjective
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characterized by or given to open exhibition or expression of one's emotions, attitudes, etc., especially of love or affection.
She wished her fiancé were more demonstrative.
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serving to demonstrate; explanatory or illustrative.
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serving to prove the truth of anything; indubitably conclusive.
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Grammar. indicating or singling out the thing referred to. This is a demonstrative pronoun.
noun
adjective
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tending to manifest or express one's feelings easily or unreservedly
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serving as proof; indicative
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involving or characterized by demonstration
a demonstrative lecture
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conclusive; indubitable
demonstrative arguments
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grammar denoting or belonging to a class of determiners used to point out the individual referent or referents intended, such as this, that, these, and those Compare interrogative relative
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of demonstrative
1350–1400; Middle English demonstratif (< Middle French ) < Latin dēmonstrātīvus, equivalent to dēmonstrāt ( us ) ( see demonstrate) + -īvus -ive
Explanation
People who are demonstrative easily and clearly show their emotions. A demonstrative person might shout "Hooray" and jump for joy at good news. A non-demonstrative person might feel no less excited, but refrain from demonstrating it. To demonstrate means to show, so think of demonstrative as showing. In legal terms, demonstrative is used to describe evidence that shows that something happened––a note that says "I did it" might show, or demonstrate, an accused person's guilt. In grammar, demonstrative pronouns––this, that, these, those––indicate the thing or person that is being pointed out, or shown, as in “Officer, it was ‘that’ man who stole my purse!”
Vocabulary lists containing demonstrative
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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.
Meloni received Rubio politely, with the customary Italian cheek kisses and brief hug, but without the demonstrative warmth she sometimes shows other dignitaries.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
He is not a demonstrative individual, in news conferences or on the sideline.
From BBC • May 3, 2026
Previously, I’d been seduced by demonstrative courtship, but Mark wasn’t effusive, and when someone bursted into laughter with “She’s hysterical!” at one of my jokes, Mark looked bewildered.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 21, 2025
These videos aren’t necessarily emblematic of what I like, but their presence is demonstrative of the strangest, most rat-like part of my brain, seeking dopamine hits in the form of weird, 30-second blips.
From Slate • Dec. 17, 2024
It was unusual because she was not a demonstrative woman.
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
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.
