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.
"We must sincerely reflect on the mishandling that occurred," he added.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
In Le Havre, a war memorial leads him to reflect on his uncle’s aerial exploits in World War II and his great escapes as a pilot and a prisoner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
Now three decades later, directors Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss have gathered up the footage and brought back Isseks and a handful of his former students to reflect on their experiences.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
But that night, I continued to reflect on the answer I’d gotten to my medbed mystery.
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026
He was sprawled pathetically on the wooden sidewalk now, propping himself up on one elbow and seeming to reflect on the scene before him.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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.
