reflective
Americanadjective
-
that reflects; reflecting.
-
of or relating to reflection.
-
cast by reflection.
-
given to, marked by, or concerned with meditation or deliberation.
a reflective person.
- Synonyms:
- thoughtful, contemplative
adjective
-
characterized by quiet thought or contemplation
-
capable of reflecting
a reflective surface
-
produced by reflection
Synonym Usage
See pensive.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of reflective
Explanation
Reflective is an adjective that can describe a person who thinks things through, or a surface that reflects light or sound, like the reflective lettering on a stop sign. To reflect is to bounce back an image, light, or sound. A reflective surface is one that can bounce back light — like the reflective sun shade that you put over the windshield of your car. It bounces the sun's rays away, helping the interior cool. A reflective person is a little different — he or she might have great insight due to taking the time to time carefully about things.
Vocabulary lists containing reflective
ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney
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Far from the Tree
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“The soundtrack and the people we used in the film were reflective of the wide spectrum of what was unifying, I thought, for the counterculture in specifically L.A.,” says Fishman.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
"There are some items that are UV reflective, glow-in-the-dark or neon that are made by cosmetics brands but are quietly labelled as a 'non-cosmetic paint'," he adds.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
When ejected, it forms a huge, reflective cloud in which each individual fiber reflects a radio frequency.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
He views that “as reflective of business-model choices,” and not of the cost of hardware.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
At the back of a truck, people in reflective jackets carry boxes of vegetables, sacks of food and bags of flour into a large tent.
From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
