reflecting
Americanadjective
-
casting back light, heat, sound, etc., from a surface.
An echo is heard when the reflecting surface is at a considerable distance from both the speaker and the hearer.
-
having a mirrorlike effect; giving back or showing an image.
The most memorable feature of Hadrian’s Villa for me was the reflecting pool at the back, surrounded by ruins and statues.
-
thinking, pondering, or meditating.
It is apparent to every reflecting mind that a crisis has arisen which requires the consideration and action of every peace-loving citizen.
noun
-
an act or instance of casting back light, heat, etc., of giving back an image, or of showing or reproducing something.
This room feels almost like it's under the sea; the mirror mimics the reflecting of the water.
-
an act or instance of thinking, pondering, or meditating.
We have been doing some reflecting on the year that has just passed.
Other Word Forms
- nonreflecting adjective
- reflectingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of reflecting
First recorded in 1525–35; reflect ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; reflect ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. ) for the noun senses
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.
Turnout in the election was low at 23% of the city’s 70,000 eligible voters, reflecting challenging living conditions and skepticism among Palestinians about whether the results would make a difference.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026
Interestingly, they appeared in two distinct layers, reflecting a complex environmental history that contributed to their preservation.
From Science Daily • Apr. 26, 2026
Civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech overlooking the reflecting pool in 1963.
From Barron's • Apr. 25, 2026
Regardless of what the future holds, it’s worth reflecting on the present.
From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026
As you move past one mirror reflecting your boots, the mirror next to it shows only empty space and the mirrors on the other side.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
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.
