expressive
ik-SPRES-iv
/ɪkˈsprɛsɪv/
Effectively conveying thought or feeling through words, gestures, or facial expressions.
Highlights emotional vividness and non-verbal cues along with verbal communication.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'expressus', past participle of 'exprimere' (to press out, from 'ex-' out + 'premere' to press). Expressive delivery presses inner feelings out into visible reality.
Word relationships
- eloquent: Eloquent stresses formal verbal artistry, while expressive includes body language and emotion.
- vivid: Vivid stresses clarity of image, whereas expressive stresses emotional projection.
- expressionless: Showing no emotion or feeling.
- poker-faced: Deliberately hiding emotion.
Commonly confused with
- explicit: Explicit means stated directly; expressive means rich in emotion and detail.
Word family
- express (verb): To convey a thought or feeling.
- expression (noun): The action of making known one's thoughts or feelings.
Collocations
- expressive face
- expressive language
- expressive voice
- highly expressive
Example sentences
- "The actor's expressive eyes conveyed deep sorrow long before he spoke a single word." Artistic performance
- "Her expressive prose painted vivid scenes of rural life." Writing style
Memory hook
To PRESS OUT (EXPRESS) your feelings so everyone sees them. Pressing inner feelings outward into view.
When not to use
Do not use to describe dry, emotionless mathematical or clinical statements.
Fun facts
- 'Espresso' coffee comes from the same Latin root because water is pressed out through coffee grounds!
Related words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.