inventive

[ in-ven-tiv ]

/ ɪnˈvɛn tɪv /

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See synonyms for: inventive / inventiveness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

apt at inventing or thinking up new machines or devices, methods, solutions, etc., or at improvising from what is at hand; innovative or ingenious: Luckily the bike mechanic is a most inventive person—you’ll be surprised at what he can do with a piece of wire and some scrap metal.

apt at creating with the imagination:The delightful and tirelessly inventive storyteller is back with an animated stop-motion adventure.

being the product of imagination, resourcefulness, etc.; creative and original: It’s an enthralling, inventive, and wholly unique exhibit from an artist without peer.

relating to or used for inventing: These recordings captured the musician at the height of her inventive power.

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Origin of inventive

First recorded in 1400–50; invent + -ive; replacing late Middle English inventif, from Old French

OTHER WORDS FROM inventive

in·ven·tive·ly, adverbin·ven·tive·ness, nounpre·in·ven·tive, adjectiveun·in·ven·tive, adjective

un·in·ven·tive·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use inventive in a sentence

In the ideal situation, one with a strong offensive line, capable pass catchers and an inventive head coach, he could end the 2021 campaign as one of the five best quarterbacks of the year.
Ignore the losses: Matthew Stafford is a quarterback worth pursuing|Neil Greenberg|January 27, 2021|Washington Post
Rather than use that perch to offer lovers of Shakespeare conventional fare in tights and ruffs, Griffin filled the 265-seat Elizabethan-style space with inventive interpretations of popular and lesser-known works.
Folger Theatre’s Janet Griffin announces her retirement after decades of devotion to Shakespeare|Peter Marks|January 27, 2021|Washington Post
We teamed up with Land Rover Defender to highlight the country's most inventive adventures.
Emily Harrington Explores Maine’s Coastal Crags|Outside Editors|December 15, 2020|Outside Online
The companies say their systems can sniff out many of the inventive ways students game tests, such as looking at wall-mounted notes, copying from other websites or listening to a friend say the answers out loud.
Cheating-detection companies made millions during the pandemic. Now students are fighting back.|Drew Harwell|November 12, 2020|Washington Post

We have to get inventive to put that measurement in place as we test things.
‘Race to deliver’: Pernod Ricard CMO Pam Forbus on a new anti-hate speech initiative and how the coronavirus changed the company’s marketing|Kristina Monllos|October 22, 2020|Digiday
My father excelled in business above all by imagination and inventiveness.
My Eulogy for My Father, Murray Frum|David Frum|May 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Sometimes Chinese inventiveness is just process innovation or casual repurposing of existing technologies.
China’s Next Big Export: Creativity and Culture|Ken Miller|November 22, 2012|DAILY BEAST
There are signs everywhere of this spontaneous inventiveness that may finally make us the copycats.
China’s Next Big Export: Creativity and Culture|Ken Miller|November 22, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Her brashness, inventiveness, and inexhaustible energy carried her the rest of the way.
Elsa Maxwell, the Kingmaker|Mark Braude|November 1, 2012|DAILY BEAST
There is not enough inventiveness between tick and tock to transcend preexistent types.
This Week’s Hot Reads: June 18, 2012|Jimmy So|June 18, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Those two remarkable Englishmen were alike in their daring inventiveness, and not unlike in face and person.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2)|Francis Trevithick
If so, a considerable amount of inventiveness may have been required, besides a high order of constructiveness.
Invention|Bradley A. Fiske
With a boy's lack of inventiveness we called him "Tiger" although anything less ferocious than he would be hard to find.
South American Fights and Fighters|Cyrus Townsend Brady
This is a test of a certain type of inventiveness, namely linguistic invention.
The Science of Human Nature|William Henry Pyle
He was full of inventiveness, and he may have adopted that course hoping, when the time came, to prove an alibi.
The Sign of Silence|William Le Queux

British Dictionary definitions for inventive

inventive

/ (ɪnˈvɛntɪv) /

adjective

skilled or quick at contriving; ingenious; resourceful

characterized by inventive skillan inventive programme of work

of or relating to invention

Derived forms of inventive

inventively, adverbinventiveness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

inventive

Origin of inventive

OTHER WORDS FROM inventive

Words related to inventive

How to use inventive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for inventive

Derived forms of inventive