expressive

[ik-spres-iv]

adjective

1. full of expression; meaningful.

   an expressive shrug.

2. serving to express; indicative of power to express.

   a look expressive of gratitude.

3. of, relating to, or concerned with expression.

   Dance is a highly expressive art.

4. Sociology.,  (of a crowd or group) engaging in nonpurposeful activity of an expressive and often rhythmic nature, as weeping, dancing, or shouting.

5. Linguistics.,  of or relating to forms in which sounds denote a semantic field directly and nonarbitrarily, through sound symbolism based, to some degree, on synesthesia, as observable in onomatopoeia, rhyming and gradational compounds, and emotionally charged words such as hypocoristics and pejoratives.

expressive

/ ɪkˈsprɛsɪv /

adjective

1. of, involving, or full of expression

2. indicative or suggestive (of)

   a look expressive of love

3. having a particular meaning, feeling, or force; significant

Other Word Forms

• expressively adverb
• expressiveness noun
• antiexpressive adjective
• antiexpressively adverb
• antiexpressiveness noun
• nonexpressive adjective
• nonexpressively adverb
• nonexpressiveness noun
• overexpressive adjective
• overexpressively adverb
• overexpressiveness noun
• preexpressive adjective
• superexpressive adjective
• superexpressively adverb
• superexpressiveness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of expressive¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French; express, -ive

Synonym Study

See eloquent ( def. ).

Example Sentences

The movie has spawned a number of memes, including close-ups of the characters’ expressive faces.

From Los Angeles Times

Deceptively sophisticated and wonderfully expressive, it is full of lifelike details, without being made to resemble life.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s an exaggerated world — appropriately to the heavy-breathing material — but emotionally expressive, even moving, and lots of fun.

From Los Angeles Times

Olyphant, who has dyed his hair and eyebrows white for the part, manages to be expressive while hardly changing his expression and funny without saying anything funny at all.

From Los Angeles Times

Sydney weighs 75 pounds, with shaggy locks and has large ears that make his already handsome face even more expressive.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• articulate 
• artistic 
• colorful 
• dramatic 
• eloquent 
• energetic 
• passionate 
• poignant 
• striking 
• suggestive 
• thoughtful 
• vivid 

When To Use

What are other ways to say expressive?

Expressive gestures are full of meaning; expressive looks effectively convey an attitude or feeling. How is expressive different from synonyms meaningful, significant, and suggestive? Find out on Thesaurus.com.