instructive

adjective

in·​struc·​tive in-ˈstrək-tiv How to pronounce instructive (audio)
: carrying a lesson : enlightening
instructively adverb
instructiveness noun

Examples of instructive in a Sentence

an interesting and instructive lesson an instructive demonstration of the proper way to pack a suitcase so your clothes don't arrive in a mess
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Trump and Musk’s public statements are instructive here. Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2025 Reflecting on his enduring significance is important and instructive. Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2025 To understand this, the Los Angeles neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, tragically, is highly instructive. Richard Olsen, Forbes, 26 Jan. 2025 Rogan’s descent into far-right politics is instructive for understanding the diminished cultural resistance to Trump. Brady Brickner-Wood, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for instructive

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of instructive was in 1611

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Cite this Entry

“Instructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instructive. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

instructive

adjective
in·​struc·​tive in-ˈstrək-tiv How to pronounce instructive (audio)
: giving knowledge : helping to instruct or inform
an instructive experience
instructively adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on instructive

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