reflect
Americanverb (used with object)
-
reflects,
present (3rd person singular)
-
reflected,
past participle, past
-
reflecting
present participle
-
to cast back (light, heat, sound, etc.) from a surface.
The mirror reflected the light onto the wall.
-
to give back or show an image of; mirror.
-
(of an act or its result) to serve to cast or bring (credit, discredit, etc.) on its performer.
-
to reproduce; show.
followers reflecting the views of the leader.
- Synonyms:
- manifest
-
to throw or cast back; cause to return or rebound.
Her bitterness reflects gloom on all her family.
verb (used without object)
-
reflects,
present (3rd person singular)
-
reflected,
past participle, past
-
reflecting
present participle
-
to be turned or cast back, as light.
-
to cast back light, heat, etc.
-
to be reflected or mirrored.
-
to give back or show an image.
-
to think, ponder, or meditate.
to reflect on one's virtues and faults.
- Synonyms:
- contemplate, cogitate, consider, muse, deliberate, ruminate, ponder, meditate, think
-
to serve or tend to bring reproach or discredit by association.
His crimes reflected on the whole community.
-
to serve to give a particular aspect or impression.
The test reflects well on your abilities.
verb
-
to undergo or cause to undergo a process in which light, other electromagnetic radiation, sound, particles, etc, are thrown back after impinging on a surface
-
(of a mirror, etc) to form an image of (something) by reflection
-
(tr) to show or express
his tactics reflect his desire for power
-
(tr) to bring as a consequence
the success of the project reflected great credit on all the staff
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(intr; foll by on or upon) to cause to be regarded in a specified way
her behaviour reflects well on her
-
(intr; foll by on or upon) to cast dishonour, discredit, etc (on)
his conduct reflects on his parents
-
to think, meditate, or ponder
Synonym Usage
See study.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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reflectednessnoun
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reflectibilitynoun
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interreflectverb
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misreflectverb
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nonreflectedadjective
-
reflectibleadjective
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well-reflectedadjective
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reflectedlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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reflectsimple
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reflectssimple
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have reflectedperfect
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has reflectedperfect
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am reflectingprogressive
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are reflectingprogressive
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is reflectingprogressive
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have been reflectingperfect progressive
-
has been reflectingperfect progressive
Past
-
reflectedsimple
-
had reflectedperfect
-
was reflectingprogressive
-
were reflectingprogressive
-
had been reflectingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of reflect
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English reflecten, from Latin reflectere “to bend back,” equivalent to re- re- + flectere “to bend”
Explanation
Something that reflects comes back to you. If you look in a mirror, you will see your reflected image. If you reflect on your past experiences, you look at them once again thoughtfully. Reflect also means to give evidence of the character or quality of something. Most parents want their children to reflect their own strengths by emulating their behavior. A set of telling statistics could reflect the buying trends in an economic cycle. Reflecting can mean seeing something original in another form or image.
Vocabulary lists containing reflect
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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.
See Examples For:
“They’re supposed to be attention-getters. They’re supposed to reflect the advanced capabilities of the company.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
He added the comments did "not reflect my true beliefs or opinions, particularly of the communities mentioned in the report".
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
The bank expects price pressures to reflect higher global energy costs feeding through to services sensitive to fuel prices, as well as firmer food inflation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Election rolls are routinely updated to reflect deaths, address changes and newly eligible voters.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
If Briony gave it to her, she would have time to read it and reflect in private.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
Puerto’s essay also reflects the complexity of an experience like hers.
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026
The decisions are part of a move away from linear television that the BBC says reflects changing audience habits.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
The researchers believe this reflects the brain's ability to adapt to stressful situations by prioritizing information that may be important.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
The transaction reflects broader consolidation across the cybersecurity market as customers seek to streamline their vendor lists and buy integrated platforms, and cyber companies have continued to attract large investments and acquisition offers this year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
Vincent's self-portrait reflects how he feels about himself, that he has “something of a dual nature, something of both the monk and the painter.”
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
This is reflected most clearly in the sharply rising interest rate costs for the world's advanced economies.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
Analysts at ING said the inventory draw partly reflected hurricane-related production disruptions and lower crude imports.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Judge Alistair Watson said he was imposing a sentence which reflected the seriousness and persistence of Petrie's crimes.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
The researchers observed a related predictive ability in the hippocampus, where neural signals reflected information about upcoming words even during unconsciousness.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2026
It reflected red bursts onto the packed road.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
Core inflation is expected to remain at 1.7%, reflecting limited domestic price pressures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Their name comes from Greek words meaning "big eaters," reflecting their ability to surround and engulf bacteria, damaged cells, and other unwanted material.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
“These large language models — the AI, the chatbots, Claude, AI, ChatGPT — they’re all built on essentially reflecting ourselves back to each other,” Stangl said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
The SNP public finance minister is recruiting a Shetland-based creative, of any discipline, to engage with the community and deliver projects reflecting policy priorities.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
The descending arches made Frank feel dizzy, as if he were looking into an endlessly reflecting mirror.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
