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
Derived Forms
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.
Each planet is represented by a marker, with the Sun at the centre on the recreation ground and Pluto positioned about a mile away, reflecting distances at a precise scale.
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
He is not sitting at a workbench but at a mahogany table polished to a fare-thee-well and reflecting the sitter.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
With Dataland, Refik and Erkılıç have constructed a conceptual defense against contemporary cultural anxieties, rejecting the narrative of machine versus human to reframe artificial intelligence as a mirror reflecting civilization.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026
The allocation to alternative investments fell by three percentage points to 12%, reflecting more money moving into stocks and bonds.
From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026
We stared at the nests reflecting the sun, each one a little miracle.
From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate
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.
