Imaginative

adj.hopeful, capableprofessional

What it means

Able to create fresh ideas, images, or approaches beyond the obvious.

Reach for it when praising original thinking in a person, solution, or creative work

Her imaginative route turned the safety lesson into a neighborhood treasure hunt.

playful
whimsical
fanciful charm and light surprise define the work
not when Whimsy is wrong for serious innovation or sober problem-solving.
everyday
creative
broad ability to make or conceive something new is meant
not when Creative can describe production skill without the vivid possibility-making of imaginative.
everyday
resourceful
constraints are overcome using available materials or knowledge
not when Resourcefulness may rearrange familiar options without creating anything fresh.
warm
visionary
the person sees an ambitious future others have not yet grasped
not when It overstates a clever local solution or playful idea.
professional
inventive
original thinking produces a workable device or method
not when Inventive is too practical when the achievement is atmosphere, story, or imagery.
professional
original
the idea is recognizably new rather than copied
not when Originality alone does not show richness, usefulness, or imaginative range.
formal
ingenious
the solution is both cleverly novel and effective
not when Ingenious sounds too evaluative for free-form fantasy or expressive art.
literary
evocative
imagery awakens vivid associations or feelings in the audience
not when Evocative judges the effect of a work, not the creator's breadth of ideas.

imaginative solution
The imaginative solution used folding shelves to share the narrow room.
imaginative child
The imaginative child mapped an entire kingdom beneath the kitchen table.
highly imaginative
The highly imaginative production made one lantern stand for the moon.

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.