as in interpretive
serving to explain
an expository piece on the workings of the internal-combustion engine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of expository
The film is obvious in telegraphing its spooky sequences and its expository ones.
—
J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025
But the artifacts of the New Literalism seem to embrace mediation, even to double down on it with their supplementary signposts, historical snapshots, and expository tics.
—Namwali Serpell, The New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2025
The first couple episodes begin with ominous cold opens new to the material, tackling the expository scientific explanation for the horrors to come in clever ways.
—A.a. Dowd, Chron, 10 Jan. 2023
Part of that can be attributed to the tendency to tidy up Big Conversations with pat remarks and swift expository dialogue.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for expository
J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025
But the artifacts of the New Literalism seem to embrace mediation, even to double down on it with their supplementary signposts, historical snapshots, and expository tics.
—Namwali Serpell, The New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2025
The first couple episodes begin with ominous cold opens new to the material, tackling the expository scientific explanation for the horrors to come in clever ways.
—A.a. Dowd, Chron, 10 Jan. 2023
Part of that can be attributed to the tendency to tidy up Big Conversations with pat remarks and swift expository dialogue.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for expository
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expository
Adjective
-
Ditto Dor, a former ballerina who pitches her character’s upwardly mobile striver somewhere between sultry slapstick and interpretive dance.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 Mar. 2026
-
If hired, interpretive rangers may be required to live in government quarters, wear a uniform, and be available to work on-call, including weekends and holidays, and to work overtime.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Outside,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Emmie’s condition is an interpretative riddle for both her parents and the reader.—
Giles Harvey,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Will the academy troll Chalamet (and the rest of us) with an interpretative dance performance?—
Glenn Whipp,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Its home screen’s hourly forecast consists of temperatures, weather icons, and illustrative background visuals, such as gloomy rain clouds, that sometimes fail to match the view out the window.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Polished concrete floors, plaster walls, steel fixtures, and simple wood elements are frequently leveraged to create the restrained, monochromatic palette that is so illustrative of Brutalism.—
Katherine McLaughlin,
Architectural Digest,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expository.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expository. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
