illustrative
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of illustrative
First recorded in 1635–45; illustrate + -ive
Explanation
A fight with your brother over who ate the most food may be illustrative of your competitive relationship with him. Something illustrative means it is a telling example of something else. Within this word, you see illustrate which means to make something clear by using pictures or examples. Something is illustrative when it paints a perfect picture of a subject. If you're trying to describe something, an illustrative example might make it easier for your audience to understand what you mean. The tidiness of your sock drawer might be illustrative of your compulsive (or messy) nature.
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.
That vision leans heavily on popular 20th century cartoonists, illustrative artists and painters — including Norman Rockwell, N.C.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
That number of dissents is unusual and illustrative of the challenge the Fed faces in bringing inflation back down to its two-percent target -- a level it hasn't hit in more than five years.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
The race in New York’s Sixth District is an illustrative example.
From Salon ● Jun. 24, 2026
It's made life harder, but it's illustrative of the respect he's earned.
From BBC ● Mar. 5, 2026
Liszt spearheaded a shift from orchestral to illustrative music, using this 1850 painting of Attila the Hun in battle as the basis for his symphonic poem Hunnenschlacht.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
