perceptive
adjective
per·cep·tive
pər-ˈsep-tiv 
1
: responsive to sensory stimuli : discerning
a perceptive eye
2
a
: capable of or exhibiting keen perception : observant
a perceptive scholar
b
: characterized by sympathetic understanding or insight
Examples of perceptive in a Sentence
He is a very perceptive young man.
due to their ability to rotate their ears, cats are very perceptive when it comes to pinpointing the source of a sound
Recent Examples on the Web
The concerto, from 1996, also made for a chillingly perceptive interpretation by van Zweden.
—
Joshua Barone, New York Times, 31 May 2024
Loosely adapted from a short story by Mary Gaitskill, this is a tender, perceptive fairy tale about erotic love, with some very good spanking scenes.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 24 May 2024
As the perceptive Moon meets the potent North Node in your sign, some situations that stir up your emotions today genuinely could be related to your true purpose in life.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 5 May 2024
The perceptive Scorpio Moon trines serious Saturn, giving us both emotional depth and containment.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for perceptive 
Joshua Barone, New York Times, 31 May 2024
Loosely adapted from a short story by Mary Gaitskill, this is a tender, perceptive fairy tale about erotic love, with some very good spanking scenes.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 24 May 2024
As the perceptive Moon meets the potent North Node in your sign, some situations that stir up your emotions today genuinely could be related to your true purpose in life.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 5 May 2024
The perceptive Scorpio Moon trines serious Saturn, giving us both emotional depth and containment.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for perceptive
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'perceptive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near perceptive
Cite this Entry
“Perceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perceptive. Accessed 8 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
perceptive
adjective
per·cep·tive
pər-ˈsep-tiv
: capable of or showing a keen ability to observe and understand
Medical Definition
perceptive
adjective
per·cep·tive
pər-ˈsep-tiv
: responsive to sensory stimulus
a perceptive eye
perceptively
adverb
perceptiveness
noun
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