reflective
Americanadjective
-
that reflects; reflecting.
-
of or relating to reflection.
-
cast by reflection.
-
given to, marked by, or concerned with meditation or deliberation.
a reflective person.
- Synonyms:
- thoughtful, contemplative
adjective
-
characterized by quiet thought or contemplation
-
capable of reflecting
a reflective surface
-
produced by reflection
Synonym Usage
See pensive.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of reflective
Explanation
Reflective is an adjective that can describe a person who thinks things through, or a surface that reflects light or sound, like the reflective lettering on a stop sign. To reflect is to bounce back an image, light, or sound. A reflective surface is one that can bounce back light — like the reflective sun shade that you put over the windshield of your car. It bounces the sun's rays away, helping the interior cool. A reflective person is a little different — he or she might have great insight due to taking the time to time carefully about things.
Vocabulary lists containing reflective
ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney
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Far from the Tree
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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.
She was 14 in 1958 when she was cast in “The Donna Reed Show,” a comparatively unsentimental family comedy in which she provided teenage female energy of an unusually reflective sort as Mary Stone.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong, 2006: I was meeting with an investor I knew on the 65th floor of a reflective glass building.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
His strike-rate is best against the right-arm seamers, against whom he has scored almost 50% of his runs - reflective of the type of bowlers he faces in the powerplay.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
Plenty feel Rashford's fallout with Amorim over his performances in training was reflective of someone who no longer felt the joy of playing for his boyhood club.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
Royce paused a moment, staring off into the distance, his face reflective.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
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.
