Synonyms

reflect

American

[ri-flekt] / rɪˈflɛkt /

verb (used with object)

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)

to be turned or cast back, as light.

Synonyms:

resound, reecho
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.

reflect British

/ rɪˈflɛkt /

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
(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

"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

Synonym Usage

See study.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

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.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing reflect

The Vocabulary.com Top 1000

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

The SAT: Language of the Test, List 3

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!

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:

reflect reflects reflected reflecting

But recently, spending behavior doesn’t reflect the gloom that many people say they feel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

"Yes, I made mistakes, but I also reflect on that," said Wilshere, who also played for Bolton, Bournemouth, West Ham and Danish side AGF.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

Instead, they say sun safety recommendations should be updated to reflect biological evidence rather than long held assumptions.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026

These adjust the value of your bonds to reflect changes in the consumer-price index.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

There are several collections of wise sayings which not only do not reflect heroism at all, but give a view of life which dispenses with it.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

How much that reflects larger social, cultural and economic pathologies and whether it affects regular people’s lives in any meaningful way is a complicated question.

From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026

Khan's story reflects a wider change in India, where traditional street performers are finding it increasingly difficult to make a living from their craft.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

It also reflects on how hatred can prevail and how there’s often a tendency to blame others.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

Accuracy describes how close a measurement is to the correct value, while precision reflects how consistently that measurement can be reproduced.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026

“Sometimes you just need to dig for the sake of digging,” Bob reflects.

From "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate

The non-invasive technique uses reflected light to create high-resolution, cross-sectional images of biological tissues, particularly the retina and optic nerve, allowing doctors to detect and monitor disease.

From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026

Buckley carried the device across the Pacific and reported back in the New York Times Magazine: “Navigation used to be deadly serious stuff,” he reflected, but this device “will change everything.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

"It was time to stop playing football because, even though I could probably still play, I didn't have the energy to commit myself fully for an entire season," he reflected.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

There are at least five principles, reflected in guidance on trauma-informed and gender-responsive policing in the United States and internationally, against which the response to Jane Doe’s report should be examined.

From Slate ● Oct. 2, 2026

As she glanced toward Penelope, the face reflected back was not that of the dark-skinned girl.

From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland

As part of Black History Month, those who knew him best have been reflecting on his lasting impact.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

International benchmark oil prices remain around $100 a barrel despite recovering exports, reflecting fears that renewed attacks could again curb flows and keep freight and security costs elevated.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

That’s the premise behind the Slate series Blogging the Bible, in which David Plotz spent a year reading his religion’s founding text in its entirety and reflecting on what he learned.

From Slate ● Oct. 2, 2026

Either the XLF simply isn’t reflecting the change in steepness yet, or something else is happening in the marketplace.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026

Then, from a short distance away, came the rumble of a motor, then another, and then the gleam of glass and mirror reflecting the midday sun winked into the horizon.

From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023