responsive

adjective

re·​spon·​sive ri-ˈspän(t)-siv How to pronounce responsive (audio)
1
: giving response : constituting a response : answering
a responsive glance
responsive aggression
2
: quick to respond or react appropriately or sympathetically : sensitive
3
: using responses
a responsive liturgy
responsively adverb
responsiveness noun

Did you know?

Responsive comes from the joining of Latin responsus with the suffix -ivus, which gave English -ive. That suffix changes verbs into adjectives, as in suggestive or corrosive. Responsus is a form of respondēre, which means "to answer" and is the source of English's respond. Responsive enters the language with the meaning "giving response" or "answering." Examples are "a responsive letter" or "a responsive glance." Nowadays, it variously describes people or things that immediately respond or react to something, such as "a responsive audience" or "a car with responsive steering."

Examples of responsive in a Sentence

The patient was not responsive to the treatment. The store is very responsive to the needs of its customers.
Recent Examples on the Web Moreover, the company is highly regarded for its responsive and supportive customer service team. Anna Miller, Sacramento Bee, 26 Apr. 2024 The vessel will also feature expanses of glass and folding platforms to connect guests with the sea and a flybridge for alfresco entertaining. Speed, power, and responsive handling were also part of the owner’s brief. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 24 Apr. 2024 In March, the SAPD filed an appeal with the Texas attorney general, seeking to have the responsive records withheld under a laundry list of exemptions provided for by the state’s public records act. Max Blaisdell, WIRED, 24 Apr. 2024 However, fans with a similar opinion will not find the Dodgers brass, either individually or collectively, responsive to their calls for change. Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2024 An open records request to the Tarrant County Election Integrity Task Force asking for any instances of voter fraud or voter interference during the primary election returned no responsive records for either election day or early voting. Cody Copeland, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2024 Consequently, the more routine and habitual a behavior becomes, the stronger and more responsive its connection to the individual. Sam Adeyemi, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024 Participants were put on long waitlists, landlords didn’t accept vouchers, or referral options were not responsive to participants’ immediate needs. Lauren Cattaneo, The Conversation, 11 Apr. 2024 The film’s themes struck a responsive chord in a country where dissent had been criminalized and the fear of arbitrary arrest was pervasive. Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'responsive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of responsive was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near responsive

Cite this Entry

“Responsive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/responsive. Accessed 3 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

responsive

adjective
re·​spon·​sive ri-ˈspän(t)-siv How to pronounce responsive (audio)
1
: giving response : being an answer
a responsive smile
2
: quick to respond or react sympathetically : sensitive
responsive to the needs of the poor
responsively adverb
responsiveness noun

Medical Definition

responsive

adjective
re·​spon·​sive ri-ˈspän(t)-siv How to pronounce responsive (audio)
: making a response
especially : responding to treatment
pain responsive to opioids
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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