expressive
/ɪkˈspres.ɪv/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Showing thoughts or feelings clearly through words, face, voice, or actions. An expressive person or thing communicates a strong feeling.
- Her face is very expressive.
- He gave an expressive speech.
- The dancer's movements were expressive.
Adinary Nuance
Expressive is stronger than simple or clear. It suggests feeling, energy, or personality, not just information. Use it for faces, voices, writing, art, and people when they show emotion well. It is different from emotional: expressive shows feelings; emotional feels them deeply.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- giàu biểu cảm
- Spanish
- expresivo
- Chinese
- 富有表现力
- Japanese
- 表現力のある
- Korean
- 표현력이 있는
Etymology
Expressive comes from express, from Latin expressus, meaning "pushed out" or "clearly shown." It entered English in the 17th century.
Common phrases
expressive faceexpressive languageexpressive movementexpressive writing
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is expressive a positive word?
- Usually, yes. It suggests someone shows feelings clearly and naturally.
- What is the difference between expressive and emotional?
- Expressive means showing feelings clearly. Emotional means feeling strong emotions.
- Can I use expressive for art or music?
- Yes. It is common for art, music, dance, and writing.
- Is expressive formal or informal?
- It is neutral to slightly formal. It works well in academic and everyday English.