as in interpretive
serving to explain
an edition of Melville's novel that could use more explanative footnotes about whaling
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explanative
Adjective
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This illustrative image from October 5, 2021, shows a magnetic resonance imaging machine at Neurospin in Gif-sur-Yvette, southwest of Paris.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 July 2025 -
An illustrative example of this approach is the joint initiative of the UN and Remesh, implemented in 2021, with an AI powered platform.—
Melik Kaylan,
Forbes.com,
6 July 2025
Adjective
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Hybrid lanterns that meet the aforementioned criteria are indeed out there, waiting to illuminate your next campsite, glamping trip, picnic, late-night reading session, or simply to add a little illuminative flare to that embarrassingly barren bookshelf in time for the next Zoom meeting.—
J.D. Simkins,
Sunset Magazine,
17 Feb. 2022
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Along the way, Robbins spices his story through illuminative moments and mini-biographies.—
OregonLive.com,
OregonLive.com,
14 Oct. 2017
Adjective
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The curved, accessible walkways are clearly signed and more than one explanatory exhibit demonstrates the superiority of planting indigenous or highly adaptive plants.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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But when today’s racial achievement gaps are attributed to more nebulous forms of discrimination—like implicit bias in standardized testing—the explanatory force begins to wane.—
Idrees Kahloon,
New Yorker,
28 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Explanative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explanative. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
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