reactive

[ ree-ak-tiv ]

/ riˈæk tɪv /

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See synonyms for reactive on Thesaurus.com

adjective

tending to react.

pertaining to or characterized by reaction.

Electricity. pertaining to or characterized by reactance.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of reactive

First recorded in 1705–15; react + -ive

OTHER WORDS FROM reactive

re·ac·tive·ly, adverbre·ac·tive·ness, nounan·ti·re·ac·tive, adjectivehy·per·re·ac·tive, adjective

non·re·ac·tive, adjectiveo·ver·re·ac·tive, adjectiveun·re·ac·tive, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH reactive

proactive, reactionary, reactive

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use reactive in a sentence

If you use one reactive element on a handful of pages, then there are ways to confine your reactive code to where and when it is needed.
SEO for reactive JavaScript using React or Vue with NodeJS and other backend stacks|Detlef Johnson|October 20, 2020|Search Engine Land
If you are writing an app that needs a Facebook type of dynamic, then you’re going to want to invest in creating a reactive framework to deliver it.
SEO for reactive JavaScript using React or Vue with NodeJS and other backend stacks|Detlef Johnson|October 20, 2020|Search Engine Land
The main minerals in the tailings there are plagioclase feldspars, which hold magnesium and calcium in a tight chemical structure, making them less reactive than other types of mine waste.
Asbestos could be a powerful weapon against climate change (you read that right)|James Temple|October 6, 2020|MIT Technology Review
Those include physical processes like simply digging up the materials, grinding them down into finer particles, and spreading them in thin layers, all of which increases the reactive surface area exposed to carbon dioxide.
Asbestos could be a powerful weapon against climate change (you read that right)|James Temple|October 6, 2020|MIT Technology Review

Research in lab dishes has found that the particles can lead to inflammation and oxidative stress, in which reactive molecules that contain oxygen build up and can damage cells.
What we know and don’t know about wildfire smoke’s health risks|Maria Temming|September 18, 2020|Science News
Maybe the Obama administration, instead of merely backpedaling reactively, could support these voices pro-actively as well.
The Uganda Ruling is Good For Everyone But Gays|Jay Michaelson|August 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The only question is whether we will manage it proactively or reactively.
Our Mindless Government Is Heading for a Spending Disaster|Nick Gillespie|April 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for reactive

reactive

/ (rɪˈæktɪv) /

adjective

readily partaking in chemical reactionssodium is a reactive metal; free radicals are very reactive

of, concerned with, or having a reactance

responsive to stimulus

(of mental illnesses) precipitated by an external causereactive depression

Derived forms of reactive

reactively, adverbreactivity (ˌriːækˈtɪvɪtɪ) or reactiveness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

reactive

Origin of reactive

OTHER WORDS FROM reactive

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH reactive

Words related to reactive

How to use reactive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for reactive

Derived forms of reactive