If you describe a person or their behaviour as expressive, you mean that their behaviour clearly indicates their feelings or intentions.
You can train people to be more expressive.
...her small, usually expressive face.
...the present fashion for intuitive, expressive painting.
expressivelyadverb [ADVERB with verb]
He moved his hands expressively.
expressivenessuncountable noun
Crying is part of our natural expressiveness.
2. graded adjective [v-link ADJof n]
If something is expressive of particular ideas or qualities, it has features which indicate or demonstrate them.
[formal, written]
Perhaps all his poems were really love poems, expressive of love for someone.
Its history is expressive of the character and development of the people who possessit.
Synonyms: meaningful, indicative, suggestive, demonstrative More Synonyms of expressive
More Synonyms of expressive
expressive in British English
(ɪkˈsprɛsɪv)
adjective
1.
of, involving, or full of expression
2. (postpositive; foll byof)
indicative or suggestive (of)
a look expressive of love
3.
having a particular meaning, feeling, or force; significant
Derived forms
expressively (exˈpressively)
adverb
expressiveness (exˈpressiveness)
noun
expressive in American English
(ɛkˈsprɛsɪv; ɪkˈsprɛsɪv)
adjective
1.
of or characterized by expression
2.
that expresses or shows; indicative (of)
a song expressive of joy
3.
full of meaning or feeling
an expressive nod
Derived forms
expressively (exˈpressively)
adverb
expressiveness (exˈpressiveness)
noun
Word origin
ME < ML expressivus
Examples of 'expressive' in a sentence
expressive
There are endless stories in those expressive eyes, and the shadows that catch on sharp cheekbones.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The timbre of his strong, expressive voice and the poetry of his lyrics captured the imagination of a generation.
Smithsonian Mag (2017)
An expressive voice, yes, but here it seemed so brittle.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
And those expressive eyes and cowered postures exhibit true contrition on their part.
Christianity Today (2000)
What is already clear is that this is a tenor at the peak of his expressive powers.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
There are some funny twists and the comic actors have great expressive faces.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
My mother was really expressive and so was my father.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
These biological oddities help to explain the expressive power of the gaze.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
His expressive face shines through the computer animation.
The Sun (2009)
But with that done we can all enjoy four hours with a tenor of sterling security and an expressive range.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
What he's not telling us is that it is a wonderfully expressive instrument.
The Sun (2007)
The first movement suffers particularly, deprived of its bleak but wonderfully expressive scoring.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Indeed, these are artists at the peak of their expressive powers.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
To his sharp eye, a human foot was as expressive as a face.
Clerk, Jayana & Siegel, Ruth Modern Literatures of the Non-Western World: Where the Waters Are Born (1995)
His edges defined his shapes; they were simple and natural and wonderfully expressive.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
His face is expressive, his eyes bright.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Her accent is deliciously strong, to match her expressive face.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Now her face is more expressive, she can move her head more freely and waves her fingers.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
I must talk about the expressive power of folds.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Why has an actor known for his wonderfully expressive voice joined one of the world's great ballet companies?
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Strength: He has really big expressive movements.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The choral singing - cleansed and vivid - is wonderfully expressive.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The cooking is expressive, full of vivid colour, contrasting textures and both visual and verbal puns.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Yet he's equally expressive shading his voice in his middle pitch, almost cradling the listener with intimacy.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He sang poetic songs of love and regret in a warm, expressive voice laced with debonair Gallic charm.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The three works on this disc, spanning a quarter of a century, cover a huge sonic and expressive range.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
I could see his blue eyes, expressive and vibrant, when movement in his face was so difficult.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Inevitably, her austere solo performance style also lacked some of the expressive range of her studio recordings, which typically benefit from richer instrumentation and more eccentric arrangements.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In other languages
expressive
British English: expressive ADJECTIVE
If you describe a person or their behaviour as expressive, you mean that their behaviour clearly indicates their feelings or intentions.
You can train people to be more expressive.
American English: expressive
Brazilian Portuguese: expressivo
Chinese: 富于表现力的
European Spanish: expresivo
French: expressif
German: ausdrucksvoll
Italian: espressivo
Japanese: 表情豊かな
Korean: 표정이 있는
European Portuguese: expressivo
Latin American Spanish: expresivo
Chinese translation of 'expressive'
expressive
(ɪksˈprɛsɪv)
adj
[face]富于(於)表情的 (fùyú biǎoqíng de)
expressive of (frm) 表达(達) ... 的 (biǎodá ... de)
1 (adjective)
Definition
of or full of expression
She had a small, expressive face.
Synonyms
vivid
one of the most vivid personalities in tennis
strong
striking
telling
moving
lively
toys made with bright and lively colours
sympathetic
energetic
poignant
emphatic
Yesterday's emphatic victory was their fifth in succession.
eloquent
She made a very eloquent speech at the dinner.
forcible
Opposites
empty
,
straight-faced
,
dull
,
blank
,
wooden
,
vacuous
,
impassive
,
inscrutable
,
poker-faced (informal)
,
dead-pan
2 (adjective)
All his poems are expressive of his love for nature.
Synonyms
meaningful
The two exchanged a quick, meaningful look.
indicative
Often physical appearance is indicative of how a person feels.
suggestive
demonstrative
We were not normally demonstrative but shared a hug.
revealing
significant
The old woman gave her a significant glance.
allusive
Additional synonyms
in the sense of demonstrative
Definition
tending to show one's feelings freely and openly
We were not normally demonstrative but shared a hug.
Synonyms
open,
loving,
emotional,
affectionate,
expressive,
gushing,
expansive,
unrestrained,
effusive,
unreserved
in the sense of eloquent
Definition
(of a person) able to speak in a fluent and persuasive manner
She made a very eloquent speech at the dinner.
Synonyms
silver-tongued,
moving,
powerful,
effective,
stirring,
articulate,
persuasive,
graceful,
forceful,
fluent,
expressive,
well-expressed
in the sense of emphatic
Definition
expressed, spoken, or done forcefully
Yesterday's emphatic victory was their fifth in succession.