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
None of his previous work has been released in the U.S., which is unfortunate because Demoustier (brother of the talented actress Anaïs) is one of those rare French filmmakers who can blend suspense with perceptive writing and characterization, resulting in artsy thrillers that dig deep.
—
Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2025
What appealed to me, in the beginning, as someone with family members who worked in public health, was the show’s perceptive depiction of a health care system in crisis.
—Judy Berman, Time, 11 Apr. 2025
The creatives are perceptive about knowing when to play something for laughs and when to swerve, letting the audience stumble into an unexpected and very earnest emotional gut-punch.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2025
At Wednesday’s tense hearing, one perceptive question was posed by Rep. Debra Tendrich, a freshman Democrat from Lake Worth Beach, who has experience working with nonprofits.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perceptive
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Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2025
What appealed to me, in the beginning, as someone with family members who worked in public health, was the show’s perceptive depiction of a health care system in crisis.
—Judy Berman, Time, 11 Apr. 2025
The creatives are perceptive about knowing when to play something for laughs and when to swerve, letting the audience stumble into an unexpected and very earnest emotional gut-punch.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2025
At Wednesday’s tense hearing, one perceptive question was posed by Rep. Debra Tendrich, a freshman Democrat from Lake Worth Beach, who has experience working with nonprofits.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 11 Apr. 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 24 May. 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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