adjective
expressive
ihk-SPREH-sihv
adjective
1
Good at communicating feelings or ideas clearly and vividly.
"Her expressive eyes gave away exactly how she felt."
"The composer wrote a highly expressive piece full of emotion."
How to Use Expressive
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFull of feeling and good at conveying it, whether through a face, a voice, or an art form.
Common pairings
expressive language
expressive face
highly expressive
Word Forms
more expressive comparative, expressives plural, most expressive superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “expressive”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Her _____ eyes gave away exactly how she felt.
Etymology
From Middle French expressif, from the same root as "express".