full of expression; meaningful

an expressive shrug.

serving to express; indicative of power to express

a look expressive of gratitude.

of, pertaining to, or concerned with expression

Dance is a highly expressive art.

Sociology . (of a crowd or group) engaging in nonpurposeful activity of an expressive and often rhythmic nature, as weeping, dancing, or shouting. Compare active ( def. 15 ) , orgiastic ( def. 2 ) .

Linguistics . of or pertaining to forms in which sounds denote a semantic field directly and nonarbitrarily, through sound symbolism based, to some degree, on synesthesia, as observable in onomatopoeia, rhyming and gradational compounds, and emotionally charged words such as hypocoristics and pejoratives.

adjective

expressionless , inexpressive , passive , undemonstrative

adjective

alive , allusive , articulate , artistic , brilliant , colorful , demonstrative , dramatic , eloquent , emphatic , energetic , forcible , graphic , indicative , ingenious , lively , masterly , meaningful , mobile , moving , passionate , pathetic , pictorial , picturesque , poignant , pointed , pregnant , representative , responsive , revelatory , showy , significant , silver-tongued * , spirited , stimulating , stirring , striking , strong , suggestive , sympathetic , tender , thoughtful , touching , understanding , vivid , warm , meaning , evocative , poetic , revealing , telling