expressionistic

American  

[ik-spre-shuhn-ist-ik] / ɪk sprɛ ʃənˈɪst ɪk /

adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of Expressionism.

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Other Word Forms

• expressionistically adverb

Explanation

Something that's expressionistic uses emotions rather than realism to express an artistic idea. An expressionistic painting gives you the general sense of a tree, rather than a photographic duplication of a tree. Expressionistic art, which flourished at the start of the 20th century, used distortion and exaggeration to get feelings and ideas across. Many painters we admire today, including Matisse, Monet, and Van Gogh, all used expressionistic techniques in their work. Other forms of art, including poetry, prose, and dance, can also be done in an expressionistic style. The root word is expression, used in the art world to mean "way of expressing."

Example Sentences

The production works best when the play’s expressionistic flourishes invite theatergoers to consider more deeply the subjective experiences and societal subtexts that are being externalized.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

Long existing beyond the boundaries of race, nationhood and categorical art movements, Lam produced a range of work, including graphic design, book illustrations, large Jackson Pollock-inspired abstractions, and expressionistic ceramics.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 31, 2026

But in these works, trippy colors, exaggerated and expressionistic figures and unconventional arrangements seem to be enough to qualify them as surreal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025

Lloyd’s expressionistic production doesn’t demand that Scherzinger act so much as strike poses.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 12, 2024

Mrs. Renshaw maintains her high place as a philosophical and expressionistic bard, though hampered by unusual theories of spontaneous versification.

From Writings in the United Amateur, 1915-1922 by Lovecraft, H. P. (Howard Phillips)