introspective

adjective

in·​tro·​spec·​tive ˌin-trə-ˈspek-tiv 

: characterized by examination of one's own thoughts and feelings : thoughtfully reflective : employing, marked by, or tending to introspection

As a student, he was very quiet and introspective.

… encouraging a balance between the fast, upbeat songs and a band's more introspective side.

—David T. Lindsay

There's an interesting literature that suggests that when people are sad, they tend to pay attention to themselves. They become withdrawn and introspective and very aware of their body and their mind and not very aware of the external world.

—Peter Salovey

introspectively adverb

This whole episode set me thinking introspectively, and led me gradually but imperatively to self-analysis—not of powers, but of motives.

—Bram Stoker

introspectiveness noun

Introversion is too often considered a sign of weakness when it should instead be an indication of strength, and associated with thoughtfulness, introspectiveness and independence.

—Jasmine Tatah

Examples of introspective in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Azul, a loyal compadre, and Zachariah, an introspective cowboy that just got out of prison. —Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 June 2026

On June 10, the Strictly Confidential star celebrated her 61st birthday in an introspective Instagram post featuring a photo of herself in a yellow bikini. —Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 13 June 2026

Still, Galentz’s paintings maintained a similarly radiant, yet elusive and introspective quality, with more formal risks than, say, overt political dissent. —The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 12 June 2026

Fellow New Yorkers Your Old Droog, duendita, and Salimata feature, and jazzy, often-introspective production from MIKE and Navy Blue builds out Wiki’s solo universe. —Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for introspective

• imperfective
• ineffective
• intellective
• irrespective
• nondirective
• nonselective
• retrospective
• unreflective
• advective
• affective
• collective
• connective