How to Pronounce Expressive

To pronounce "expressive", say EXPR-ess-iv-e — 4 syllables, IPA /ɪkˈspɹɛsɪv/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

expressive

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Accent

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Syllables

Letters

/ɪkˈspɹɛsɪv/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “expressive”

"expressive" has 4 syllables: expr-ess-iv-e. It rhymes with impressive and aggressive, if that helps it stick.

What does expressive mean?

noun

Any word or phrase that expresses (that the speaker, writer, or signer has) a certain attitude toward or information about the referent.
(more narrowly) A word or phrase, belonging to a distinct word class or having distinct morphosyntactic properties, with semantic symbolism (for example, an onomatopoeia), variously considered either a synonym, a hypernym or a hyponym of ideophone.

adjective

Effectively conveying thought or feeling.

Antonyms

inexpressive unexpressive

Words that rhyme with expressive

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

impressive aggressive excessive oppressive obsessive regressive possessive crescive pressive successive depressive essive

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "expressive"?▾

"Expressive" has 4 syllables: expr · ess · iv · e.

What is the IPA transcription of "expressive"?▾

The IPA transcription of "expressive" is /ɪkˈspɹɛsɪv/.

What does "expressive" mean?▾

Expressive: Any word or phrase that expresses (that the speaker, writer, or signer has) a certain attitude toward or information about the referent.

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