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
Cho, as the perceptive and generous Jin, distracted from his own family troubles by the sudden flashes of Casey’s bright light, is wise and rejuvenated; disinterested admiration makes this man, who looks to be in his forties, nearly a teen-ager again.
—
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 20 June 2025
Lucy is blunt at every turn, often to the point of brutality, but her assessment of the ways in which financial security remains a key dating consideration for even the most independent of women is both keenly perceptive and a personal defense mechanism.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 June 2025
The Hammer Museum presents the first United States institutional survey of figurative painter Noah Davis, highlighting his perceptive blend of realism and dreamlike imagery.
—Alia Yee Noll, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2025
That is just an incredibly perceptive and talented kid manifesting this amazing performance from her imagination.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for perceptive
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Richard Brody, New Yorker, 20 June 2025
Lucy is blunt at every turn, often to the point of brutality, but her assessment of the ways in which financial security remains a key dating consideration for even the most independent of women is both keenly perceptive and a personal defense mechanism.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 June 2025
The Hammer Museum presents the first United States institutional survey of figurative painter Noah Davis, highlighting his perceptive blend of realism and dreamlike imagery.
—Alia Yee Noll, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2025
That is just an incredibly perceptive and talented kid manifesting this amazing performance from her imagination.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for perceptive
Cite this Entry
“Perceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perceptive. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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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