interactive

American  

[in-ter-ak-tiv] / ˌɪn tərˈæk tɪv /

adjective

1. acting one upon or with the other.

2. of or relating to a two-way system of electronic communications, as by means of television or computer.

   interactive communications between families using two-way cable television.

3. (of a computer program or system) interacting with a human user, often in a conversational way, to obtain data or commands and to give immediate results or updated information.

   For many years airline reservations have been handled by interactive computer systems.

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noun

1. a feature, activity, or medium that requires the active participation of the user, especially in a digital or educational context.

   Each chapter ends with an interactive to test what the reader has learned.

interactive British  

/ ˌɪntərˈæktɪv /

adjective

1. allowing or relating to continuous two-way transfer of information between a user and the central point of a communication system, such as a computer or television

2. (of two or more persons, forces, etc) acting upon or in close relation with each other; interacting

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interactive Cultural  

1. If users receive real-time feedback from a computer so that they can modify the use of the machine, the hardware, software, or content, the system is said to be interactive.

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Other Word Forms

• interactivity
  noun
• noninteractive
  adjective
• interactively
  adverb

Explanation

Something that is interactive is something that you can communicate or interact with. The coolest thing about the Internet is how interactive it is. You're constantly putting information and getting other information back. Think of interactive as the adjectival version of the verb "to interact." The inter- part of the word means "between, together, among," while the act- part means "to do." Put them together, and you get "to do together or among." Turn that verb into an adjective, and you get interactive. Interactive games are the most fun, because the more you and the game interact, the more interesting it is.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

interactive

At Carnegie Mellon, she has designed and developed interactive maps, data visualizations and other visual stories.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

“We knew from the book that he goes to Harrenhal and effectively disappears, at least from the interactive narrative,” Condal says, speaking later over video call.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

His curiosity eventually led him to establish the interactive The World Hum Map and Database Project in 2012.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026

Another manufacturer, Honor, showcased an AI system for its "Robot Phone", whose interactive camera flips up on a small robotic arm.

From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026

They were given a tool for joint interactive planning.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

• bilateral
• collective
• reciprocal