transformative

Language: en

🇺🇸 /ˌtræˈnsfɔrmɑˌtɪv/

📖 Definitions

  1. adjective
    Causing a marked change in someone or something; having the power to transform or produce a significant alteration in form, nature, or character.; Relating to or involving transformation; characterized by a process of change from one state or condition to another.; In education, relating to a learning process that fundamentally changes a person's perspective, beliefs, or worldview through critical reflection.; In law, describing a use of copyrighted material that adds new expression, meaning, or message to the original work, potentially qualifying as fair use.; In grammar or linguistics, relating to transformational grammar or the rules that convert deep structures into surface structures.

🔗 Details

Word forms

Comparative: more transformative Superlative: most transformative

Collocations

transformative experiencetransformative changetransformative powertransformative impacttransformative potentialtransformative journeytransformative technology

Derivatives

transformtransformationtransformertransformabletransformativelytransformativenesstransformational

Synonyms

revolutionarygroundbreakinglife-changingradicalparadigm-shiftinggame-changing

Antonyms

incrementalstaticconservativeunchanging

Commonly confused

transformational
EN: 'Transformational' is often preferred in business and leadership contexts (e.g., 'transformational leadership'), while 'transformative' is more general and emphasizes the quality of causing profound change.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember the '-ative' ending (not '-itive' or '-itive'). Do not confuse with the near-synonym 'transformational'.

💬 Examples

  1. The discovery of penicillin was a transformative moment in the history of medicine.

  2. The company underwent a transformative restructuring that redefined its core business model.

  3. The study abroad experience proved to be transformative for many students, reshaping their understanding of cultural identity.

  4. The court ruled that the parody was transformative enough to constitute fair use under copyright law.

  5. Chomsky's transformative rules explain how a single deep structure can generate multiple surface forms.