transformative

American  

[trans-fawr-muh-tiv] / trænsˈfɔr mə tɪv /

adjective

1. causing a radical and typically positive change in outlook, character, form, or condition: Voting is a culturally and socially transformative action.

   It's difficult to put into words how transformative and enriching it is to study abroad.

   Voting is a culturally and socially transformative action.

---

Other Word Forms

• untransformative adjective

Etymology

Origin of transformative

First recorded in 1660–70; from Medieval Latin transformātīvus, equivalent to Latin transformāt-, stem of transformāre, + -īvus -ive ( def. ); transform ( def. )

Example Sentences

What they might do, though, is remind him why he became so widely adored — valuable self-knowledge for an artist whose great subject has always been the transformative power of love.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

Fink described AI as “the most significant technology since, at least, the computer,” but noted that transformative tech tends to disproportionately benefit megacap companies and the investors that own them.

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

“This acquisition underscores our commitment to advancing transformative therapies for people living with serious autoimmune diseases,” Gilead Chief Medical Officer Dietmar Berger said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

Leading AI developers believe that we’re a couple years away from transformative AI that will completely reshape the world and dictate the course of future events.

From Salon • Mar. 23, 2026

Composers immediately sensed that something transformative had happened; all of a sudden their harmony started obeying laws of attraction and repulsion, whether they liked it or not.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• life-changing
• transformational