: causing or able to cause an important and lasting change in someone or something
a transformative experience
And she'll tell anyone who asks about her transformative weeks working for UNICEF in Congo and Cambodia.—S. L. Price
It is increasingly hard to escape the conclusion that American politics has entered one of those rare transformative moments that shape the content of our public discourse and the direction of our governance for generations.—Doug Ireland

Examples of transformative in a Sentence

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.
Americans have placed an unprecedented bet on the transformative power of artificial intelligence. — Ming Lu, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026 Around the world, there’s a quiet, transformative protest taking place. — The Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 22 Oct. 2026 Capital One is getting closer to realizing the benefits of its transformative acquisition. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026 This density-boosting serum is basically a cocktail of A-plus ingredients that deliver transformative results. — Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for transformative

Word History

First Known Use

1668, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of transformative was in 1668

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Transformative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transformative. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster