as in graphic
having many features or details
He told a descriptive story about his trip to Spain that captured our attention. An overly descriptive account of the movie that left little to the imagination.
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Recent Examples of descriptive
Another problem in Lee’s view is that Las Vegas Athletics is geographically descriptive.
—
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 7 Jan. 2026
At the time, the standard way of describing chess moves was descriptive notation, says John McCrary, a former president of the United States Chess Federation who maintains a collection of some 100 chess books from before 1900.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Dec. 2025
But the Grand Canyon rates its rapids up to what’s called a Canyon Class 10, allowing boaters to be more descriptive across the wide variety of whitewater features.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 24 Nov. 2025
In 2023, a mathematician named Anton Bernshteyn published a deep and surprising connection between the remote mathematical frontier of descriptive set theory and modern computer science.
—Joseph Howlett, Quanta Magazine, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for descriptive
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 7 Jan. 2026
At the time, the standard way of describing chess moves was descriptive notation, says John McCrary, a former president of the United States Chess Federation who maintains a collection of some 100 chess books from before 1900.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Dec. 2025
But the Grand Canyon rates its rapids up to what’s called a Canyon Class 10, allowing boaters to be more descriptive across the wide variety of whitewater features.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 24 Nov. 2025
In 2023, a mathematician named Anton Bernshteyn published a deep and surprising connection between the remote mathematical frontier of descriptive set theory and modern computer science.
—Joseph Howlett, Quanta Magazine, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for descriptive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descriptive
Adjective
-
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The arrival of the ATM famously led to the employment of more bank tellers, just as the introduction of Excel swelled the ranks of accountants and Photoshop spiked demand for graphic designers.—
Josh Tyrangiel,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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This cadence is frequent enough to keep dust and dirt from settling in, but realistic enough to make a consistent habit.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
10 Feb. 2026
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Trading back with one of the picks is realistic if the right offer is on the table.—
Jon Machota,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The show utilizes vivid color and energetic music to encourage kids to participate in the various adventures and activities, whether that’s mimicking Danny’s dance moves, flying like an airplane, or battling the aforementioned gravity-defying goldfish.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Gomis, who’s credited along with five other editors, cuts from one ceremony to the other without warning, creating a vivid menagerie of sights, sounds, rites, languages, faces and places.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The expressive and excitable young girl stumbles along, while the wary grown-up remains controlled and refined — even though both are completely lost.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
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Jeremy and Cindy Bearman, a husband-wife duo with pedigrees from New York City’s ABC Kitchen and db Bistro Moderne, have created a seasonal menu that is technique-forward and expressive.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Main Street, without any screenings at the picturesque Egyptian Theater, wasn’t particularly crowded.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The luxury train operates year-round stopping at picturesque destinations across the country, including in Kent, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, and Surrey.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
While anticipated, this past week’s layoffs were deeper than anticipated, resulting in the shutting down of the Post’s renowned sports section, sharp cutbacks in foreign and metro coverage, and the laying off of its photographic staff.—
David Bauder,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
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John Heartfield, the pseudonym of German artist Helmut Herzfeld, was a leading photographic satirist who was fiercely opposed to Hitler and his Nazi party.—
Lianne Kolirin,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.—
Sara Moniuszko,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Federal data is fluid and frequently subject to change as more detailed and accurate information becomes available.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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By adjusting for variables such as smoking, physical activity and underlying health conditions, the researchers were able to isolate the specific relationship between caffeine intake and long-term brain health, SWNS noted.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
10 Feb. 2026
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James Reilly, senior markets economist at Capital Economics, said in a note that while the broader stock market continues to climb higher, exposure to AI will be a specific boost or drag for certain companies.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Descriptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descriptive. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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