responsiveness
Americannoun
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the quality or state of being responsive.
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Machinery. the ability of a machine or system to adjust quickly to suddenly altered external conditions, as of speed, load, or temperature, and to resume stable operation without undue delay.
Etymology
Origin of responsiveness
First recorded in 1840–50; responsive + -ness
Explanation
Responsiveness means "being able to react quickly," like a sports car whose responsiveness makes it fun to drive, or a "responding with emotion," like the responsiveness of an audience at the concert of their all-time favorite singer. Have you ever wondered if your friends were even listening while you poured your heart out? Think about their responsiveness, or how focused they were on your feelings and their own. Did their eyes well up when you started to cry? Or did they stare into space, waiting until you were finished so that they could talk? Responsiveness is a characteristic that shows how much someone cares.
Vocabulary lists containing responsiveness
Ten Most Relevant Words: The Great Gatsby, Chapter 1
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The Top 20 Relevant Words from the Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate, Dec. 19, 2015
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The Suffix -ness, Part 4
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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.
But it also comes as free press advocates complain that the department’s responsiveness to public records requests has slowed, and as officers increasingly face accusations of targeting journalists in the field during protests.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026
On Saturday, electricity ministry spokeswoman Fatima Hayat hailed "widespread responsiveness" from the public that helped "reduce electricity consumption below projected levels".
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
The good versions — the deeply custardy ones with crisp edges and pockets of surprise throughout — rely on balance, responsiveness and a little bit of nerve.
From Salon ● May 25, 2026
Iran’s leadership and military have shown quick responsiveness to battlefield developments and comments from American leaders.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026
More than anything else, it was the lack of concern and responsiveness by police, prosecutors, and victims' services providers that devastated Mozelle and Onzelle.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
