expressive

[ ik-spres-iv ]

adjective

1. full of expression; meaningful:

   an expressive shrug.

2. serving to express; indicative of power to express:

   a look expressive of gratitude.

3. of, relating to, or concerned with expression:

   Dance is a highly expressive art.

4. Sociology. (of a crowd or group) engaging in nonpurposeful activity of an expressive and often rhythmic nature, as weeping, dancing, or shouting. Compare active ( def 15 ), orgiastic ( def 3 ).
5. Linguistics. of or relating to forms in which sounds denote a semantic field directly and nonarbitrarily, through sound symbolism based, to some degree, on synesthesia, as observable in onomatopoeia, rhyming and gradational compounds, and emotionally charged words such as hypocoristics and pejoratives.

expressive

/ ɪkˈsprɛsɪv /

adjective

1. of, involving, or full of expression
2. postpositivefoll byof indicative or suggestive (of)

   a look expressive of love

3. having a particular meaning, feeling, or force; significant

Derived Forms

• exˈpressively, adverb
• exˈpressiveness, noun

Other Words From

• ex·pressive·ly adverb
• ex·pressive·ness noun
• anti·ex·pressive adjective
• anti·ex·pressive·ly adverb
• anti·ex·pressive·ness noun
• nonex·pressive adjective
• nonex·pressive·ly adverb
• nonex·pressive·ness noun
• over·ex·pressive adjective
• over·ex·pressive·ly adverb
• over·ex·pressive·ness noun
• preex·pressive adjective
• super·ex·pressive adjective
• super·ex·pressive·ly adverb
• super·ex·pressive·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of expressive¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French; express, -ive

Synonym Study

See eloquent ( def ).

Example Sentences

From Great Moments with Mr Lincoln, to incredibly expressive characters like the Na’Vi Shaman anchored inside a dark ride, to characters that hold up in bright, well lit spaces.

From TechCrunch

As Alina, actress Jessie Mei Li’s conviction anchors Shadow and Bone, and her expressive gentleness imparts soul.

From The Daily Beast

Shan is not an expressive kid, not one to talk about his feelings, so his silence is how Anjy Cramer knows he is feeling upset.

From Washington Post

If the government aims to protect particular ideas, then it’s aiming directly at the expressive autonomy of American citizens—and companies.

From Time

Young people have grown up in a time when politics is more “expressive and conversational when compared to previous generations,” says Feezell.

From FiveThirtyEight

The instrumental view of culture has it wrong, she argues, and should be replaced with what she calls an “expressive view.”

From The Daily Beast

Robin Williams, as I knew him, was warm, gentle, expressive, nurturing, and brilliant.

From The Daily Beast

With me, finding out how expressive people could be in music really saved me.

From The Daily Beast

Bitcoin serves a purpose that is at once expressive and purposeful.

From The Daily Beast

He combines fabrics and textures and prints in a very expressive way.

From The Daily Beast

The rightly cultivated expressive voice is the man—speaking.

From Project Gutenberg

Mrs. Kaye's expressive eyes, which had dwelt on Isabel with flattering attention, fell to the tip of her cigarette.

From Project Gutenberg

The circle around did not exactly contradict him, but exhibited expressive appearances of incredulity.

From Project Gutenberg

The two most pleasing, expressive, and powerful single instruments of music are the human voice and the violin.

From Project Gutenberg

He was also the inventor of "Poikilorgue," an expressive organ, which was the origin of the harmonium.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• articulate
• artistic
• colorful
• dramatic
• eloquent
• energetic
• passionate
• poignant
• striking
• suggestive
• thoughtful
• vivid

When To Use

What are other ways to say expressive?

Expressive gestures are full of meaning; expressive looks effectively convey an attitude or feeling. How is expressive different from synonyms meaningful, significant, and suggestive? Find out on Thesaurus.com.