receptive

adjective

re·​cep·​tive ri-ˈsep-tiv 

1

: able or inclined to receive

especially : open and responsive to ideas, impressions, or suggestions

2

a

of a sensory end organ : fit to receive and transmit stimuli

b

: sensory

3

of a female animal : willing to copulate with a male

a receptive mare

receptively adverb

receptiveness noun

receptivity

ˌrē-ˌsep-ˈti-və-tē 

ri-

noun

Synonyms

• open

Examples of receptive in a Sentence

I was happy to be speaking before such a receptive audience.

needed a partner who was receptive to new ways of managing the business

Recent Examples on the Web

In timber stands, larger dead and down material remained receptive and contributed to fire spread where aligned with topography, particularly at the confluence of Dinky Creek and Bear Creek on the northern flank. —Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 12 Sep. 2025

With global tensions running high, TIFF audiences appeared especially receptive to films embracing levity and escapism. —Clayton Davis, Variety, 12 Sep. 2025

Sharon details how this squad helps Anthropic’s business, too, burnishing its reputation as the AI lab that cares the most about AI safety and perhaps winning it a more receptive ear in the corridors of power. —Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025

My hormones are very low—testosterone basically negative, estrogen and progesterone low—but since my cancer was triple negative and not hormone receptive, there’s no clear guardrail for treatment. —Melissa Showers, Flow Space, 8 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for receptive

• deceptive
• perceptive
• contraceptive
• nociceptive
• proprioceptive

Kids Definition

receptive

adjective

re·​cep·​tive ri-ˈsep-tiv 

1

: able or willing to receive especially ideas

2

: able to receive and pass on stimuli

the receptive part of the retina

receptively adverb

receptiveness noun

receptivity

ˌrē-ˌsep-ˈtiv-ət-ē 

ri-

noun

Medical Definition

receptive

adjective

re·​cep·​tive ri-ˈsep-tiv 

1

: open and responsive to ideas, impressions, or suggestions

2

a

of a sensory end organ : fit to receive and transmit stimuli

b

: sensory sense 1

receptiveness noun

receptivity

ˌrē-ˌsep-ˈtiv-ət-ē, ri- 

noun

plural receptivities