descriptive

adjective

Definition of descriptivenext
as in graphical
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.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 descriptive The names for the months of the year in Ukrainian are delightfully descriptive. — Michael Holtz, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025 Each playlist suggestion has a descriptive blurb about the city and station, which makes for an interesting read. — PCMAG, 31 Jan. 2025 An abduction must have occurred, the child must be at risk of serious injury or death and there has to be descriptive information about the child, the suspect or the suspect's vehicle. — Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025 Now there are 2,234 instances, and counting, of the term being used as a descriptive tag on Steam, the PC gaming marketplace. — Lewis Gordon, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for descriptive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descriptive
  1. graphic
  2. realistic
  3. vivid
  4. expressive
  5. picturesque
  6. photographic
  7. accurate
  8. specific
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, graphic sock and apparel company Rock ‘Em Socks direct messaged Khan on Instagram after the viral moment, according to Senior Vice President Steve Rollins.
    — Mark J. Burns, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Those with a more sports-adjacent style, on the other hand, often mix theirs with graphic sweaters and basketball jerseys.
    — Kelsey Stiegman, Glamour, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of graphic
Adjective
  • Now in its 46th year, This Old House, originally hosted by Bob Vila, is a pioneer in the genre with a realistic renovation of projects on older homes, helpful information, a sense of authenticity, and a reliable source for DIY home improvement knowledge.
    — Marc Berman, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Users will be able to layer development proposals over realistic cityscapes, enabling them to see how new buildings would appear in relation to existing structures.
    — Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of realistic
Adjective
  • Artistically, Cynthia’s lighting designs are vivid, intentional, and showcase a remarkable talent for a student of her age.
    — Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Whether that’s having dreams that are extra vivid or unexpected revelations about your past.
    — Valerie Mesa, People.com, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of vivid
Adjective
  • In the United States, permission from the subject of a story is typically not required to create expressive works.
    — Legal Entertainment, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Fashionably oversized trousers don’t have to be neutral, but instead abstract-printed or in strange muted tones, and super skinny ones buck the (better) trend of the former because good taste bows to expressive statement, here.
    — Julian Randall, Essence, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of expressive
Adjective
  • Around one-fifth of red wolves meet their end on a bumper, many on US 64, a primary route that vacationers take to the Outer Banks, the picturesque chain of barrier islands that line North Carolina’s seaboard.
    — Ben Goldfarb, Vox, 14 Mar. 2025
  • The picturesque views extend over and beyond the rolling greens of the Hillcrest Country Club.
    — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of picturesque
Adjective
  • His work has begun to incorporate interesting design elements and unconventional photographic approaches that communicate his ideas.
    — Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Earlier on Wednesday, producers released a photographic portrait of the play's massive cast on stage the famed locale, as well as a production shot from the play.
    — Dave Quinn, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of photographic
Adjective
  • Urban Planning By creating highly accurate 3D models of cities, project managers and architects can visualize the entire urban environment, simulate changes and make more informed decisions.
    — Carlos Melendez, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Tips for Pap Smear Preparation on Your Period Cervical cancer screening, like any lab test, is not always 100% accurate, and certain factors can affect accuracy and comfort during the exam.
    — Khadeja Haye, Verywell Health, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of accurate
Adjective
  • In addition to lifestyle adjustments, specific brain exercises may boost mental agility and improve focus and memory.
    — Dominique Fluker, Essence, 10 Mar. 2025
  • The big picture: More broadly, Democrats also argued the measure leaves out specific instructions on spending and gives too much leeway to the Trump administration and Elon Musk.
    — Peter Sullivan, Axios, 10 Mar. 2025
Definition of specific

Browse Nearby Words

descriptive
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Descriptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descriptive. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on descriptive

Nglish: Translation of descriptive for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
dog-in-disguise
Rhyme Disguise Quiz Pair up words that look different but sound alike.
See All