instructive
adjective
in·struc·tive
in-ˈstrək-tiv 
: 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
The failures are instructive, too.
—
Phil Blair, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
The late-1990s dot-com boom is instructive.
—Perrie M. Weiner, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
As some seek to erase the history of slavery from our public sites and to reject the ideal of equality, Howells’s change of heart is instructive.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026
The Homestead Act is instructive here.
—Antony Davies, Boston Herald, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for instructive
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.
Phil Blair, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
The late-1990s dot-com boom is instructive.
—Perrie M. Weiner, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
As some seek to erase the history of slavery from our public sites and to reject the ideal of equality, Howells’s change of heart is instructive.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026
The Homestead Act is instructive here.
—Antony Davies, Boston Herald, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for instructive
Cite this Entry
“Instructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instructive. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
instructive
adjective
in·struc·tive
in-ˈstrək-tiv
: giving knowledge : helping to instruct or inform
an instructive experience
instructively
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
