96 Different Words That End in IVE and Their Meanings

Words can bring descriptions to life, and many expressive terms in English end in -ive. Whether describing someone as creative, a solution as effective, or an experience as passive, these words help shape how we communicate. Many -ive words highlight qualities, actions, or tendencies, making them essential in both casual speech and formal writing.

You likely use them daily, whether discussing an active lifestyle, a supportive friend, or an explosive moment in a story. Understanding these words can enhance your vocabulary and make your language more dynamic. Let’s explore the different categories of words that end in ive!

Five-Letter Words Ending in ‘IVE’

1. Alive – Having life; not dead.
2. Drive – To operate and control a vehicle.
3. Chive – A small, onion-like herb used for seasoning.
4. Naïve – Lacking experience, wisdom, or judgment.
5. Trive – A rare or archaic word with little modern use.
6. Shive – A small fragment or splinter, especially of wood.
7. Olive – A small, green or black fruit used for food and oil.
8. Clive – A given name, often used in English-speaking countries.
9. Swive – An archaic term meaning to have sexual intercourse.

Six-Letter Words Ending in ‘IVE’

1. Active – Engaging or ready to engage in physical or energetic work.
2. Native – Associated with the place or circumstances of a person’s birth.
3. Relive – To experience again in one’s mind.
4. Strive – To make great efforts to achieve something.
5. Revive – To restore to life or consciousness.
6. Elvive – A brand name used in hair care products.
7. Thrive – To grow, develop, or be successful.
8. Arrive – To reach a destination.
9. Enlive – To make lively or cheerful.
10. Uplive – A term with limited modern usage.
11. Shrive – To confess sins, typically to a priest.
12. Regive – To give something back or again.

Seven-Letter Words Ending in ‘IVE’

1. Massive – Extremely large or heavy.
2. Passive – Accepting or allowing what happens without resistance.
3. Deprive – To deny someone the possession or use of something.
4. Sublive – A term with limited modern usage.
5. Inclive – A term with limited modern usage.
6. Outgive – To give more than others.
7. Captive – A person who is confined or enslaved.
8. Elusive – Difficult to catch or define.
9. Festive – Relating to a festival or celebration.

Eight-Letter Words Ending in ‘IVE’

1. Creative – Having the ability to create.
2. Delusive – Giving a false or misleading impression.
3. Adoptive – Related to adoption.
4. Eruptive – Relating to or resembling an eruption.

Nine-Letter Words Ending in ‘IVE’

1. Receptive – Willing to consider or accept new suggestions.
2. Explosive – Able to explode or cause an explosion.
3. Cognitive – Relating to mental processes such as thinking and memory.
4. Exclusive – Restricted to a particular person or group.
5. Reductive – Tending to present a subject in a simplified form.
6. Narrative – A spoken or written account of events.
7. Inductive – Relating to logical induction.
8. Objective – Not influenced by personal feelings.
9. Directive – An official or authoritative instruction.
10. Conducive – Making a situation likely or possible.
11. Defensive – Used or intended to defend.
12. Corrosive – Able to destroy or damage by chemical action.
13. Seductive – Tempting and attractive.

Ten-Letter and Longer Words Ending in ‘IVE’

1. Superlative – Of the highest quality or degree.
2. Appreciative – Feeling or showing gratitude.
3. Constructive – Serving a useful purpose.
4. Attributive – Relating to attribution.
5. Cooperative – Involving mutual assistance.
6. Hyperactive – Extremely or excessively active.
7. Informative – Providing useful or interesting information.
8. Restorative – Having the ability to restore health or strength.
9. Innovative – Introducing new ideas or methods.
10. Definitive – Conclusive and authoritative.
11. Diminutive – Extremely or unusually small.
12. Derivative – Derived from something else.
13. Transitive – Able to take a direct object (grammar term).
14. Suggestive – Giving a hint or suggestion.
15. Supportive – Providing encouragement or assistance.
16. Attractive – Pleasing to the eye or mind.
17. Dismissive – Showing disregard or lack of interest.
18. Imperative – Of vital importance.
19. Disruptive – Causing disorder or disturbance.
20. Convulsive – Producing sudden, irregular movements.
21. Aggressive – Ready or likely to attack.
22. Projective – Relating to projection.
23. Submissive – Willing to obey without resistance.
24. Compressive – Able to be compressed.
25. Descriptive – Providing a description.
26. Restrictive – Limiting or controlling.
27. Instinctive – Based on instinct rather than reasoning.
28. Manipulative – Skilled at influencing others.
29. Illustrative – Serving as an example.
30. Comprehensive – Complete and including everything.
31. Administrative – Relating to administration.
32. Apprehensive – Anxious or fearful about the future.
33. Alternative – Available as another possibility.
34. Rehabilitative – Intended to restore health or function.
35. Argumentative – Prone to arguing.
36. Discriminative – Showing distinction.
37. Representative – Serving as an example or delegate.
38. Interpretive – Relating to explanation or interpretation.
39. Explanative – Intended to explain.
40. Commemorative – Intended to honor memory.
41. Declarative – Making a statement.
42. Uncooperative – Not willing to work together.
43. Reproductive – Relating to reproduction.
44. Distributive – Relating to distribution.
45. Authoritative – Commanding and self-confident.
46. Preemptive – Taking action before an opponent does.
47. Indicative – Showing or suggesting something.
48. Demonstrative – Expressing emotions openly.
49. Legislative – Relating to lawmaking.