- present participle of reflect.
reflecting
Americanadjective
-
casting back light, heat, sound, etc., from a surface.
An echo is heard when the reflecting surface is at a considerable distance from both the speaker and the hearer.
-
having a mirrorlike effect; giving back or showing an image.
The most memorable feature of Hadrian’s Villa for me was the reflecting pool at the back, surrounded by ruins and statues.
-
thinking, pondering, or meditating.
It is apparent to every reflecting mind that a crisis has arisen which requires the consideration and action of every peace-loving citizen.
noun
-
an act or instance of casting back light, heat, etc., of giving back an image, or of showing or reproducing something.
This room feels almost like it's under the sea; the mirror mimics the reflecting of the water.
-
an act or instance of thinking, pondering, or meditating.
We have been doing some reflecting on the year that has just passed.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of reflecting
First recorded in 1525–35; reflect ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; reflect ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. ) for the noun senses
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 transition from laboratory research to clinical testing is moving relatively quickly, reflecting the encouraging findings from the animal experiments.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 8, 2026
"I'm open to the idea that we should change enforcement - by focusing more on businesses that hire illegal labour, for instance," Vance wrote in a lengthy online post reflecting on the results.
From BBC ● Nov. 8, 2026
Net worth is a measure of a household’s assets minus debts — reflecting the value of what they own, which has the potential to compound in value.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 7, 2026
Same-store sales fell 6.4%, reflecting a 4.9% decrease in customer traffic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
In reflecting on his game a while after it occurred, Bobby was refreshingly modest: “I just made the moves I thought were best. I was just lucky.”
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
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.
