reflect on
Idioms-
Consider or think carefully about, as in She reflected on her country's role in history . [c. 1600] A closely related phrase is on due reflection , meaning “after careful consideration.” For example, On due reflection I decided to vote for the incumbent .
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reflect on one . Give evidence of one's qualities, as in The hasty preparation of this report will reflect on you . [Second half of 1600s]
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.
It’s also an opportunity to reflect on the political circumstances surrounding previous landmark anniversaries of our independence.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 30, 2026
Business Secretary Peter Kyle said on Sunday that Starmer was "making time to reflect on the political realities, challenges and opportunities that he finds himself in".
From Barron's • Jun. 21, 2026
Business Secretary Peter Kyle said on Sunday that Starmer was "making time to reflect on the political realities, challenges and opportunities that he finds himself in".
From Barron's • Jun. 21, 2026
Flynn, who is now Scotland's economy secretary, responded to the loss of his old seat on social media, external, posting: "A tough night in Aberdeen that some will need to reflect on, quite heavily."
From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026
He had never told himself his own story, never allowed himself to reflect on it, because he was too disoriented by his deportation and then by the suddenness of his new life in Lagos.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Definitions 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.
