Instructive/ɪnˈstrʌktɪv/ Definition 1 of 1Pro Tip 1/3Teaching Moments Use 'instructive' when you gain knowledge from an event or situation. The workshop was instructive, offering insights into effective communication. Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Formal 'Instructive' is used in both formal and casual contexts to show learning. Our casual chat turned out to be quite instructive for my research. Pro Tip 3/3Positive or Negative 'Instructive' can refer to learning from both good and bad examples. His mistakes were instructive to the rest of the team.