reflective

adjective

re·​flec·​tive ri-ˈflek-tiv 

1

: capable of reflecting light, images, or sound waves

2

: marked by reflection : thoughtful, deliberative

3

: of, relating to, or caused by reflection

reflective glare

4

: reflexive sense 3

5

: reflecting something : indicative

how fashion is reflective of society

—Glenda Bailey

reflectively adverb

reflectiveness noun

Did you know?

Reflective people are people who reflect on things--that is, look back at things that have been done or said in order to think calmly and quietly about them. Most reflective people would agree with Socrates that (as he told the jury that would soon sentence him to death) "The unexamined life is not worth living". Reflective people tend to be a bit philosophical and intellectual. But almost everyone has reflective moods; gazing into a fireplace or a campfire seems to do it to almost everyone.

Synonyms

• broody
• cogitative
• contemplative
• meditative
• melancholy
• musing
• pensive
• ruminant
• ruminative
• thoughtful

Examples of reflective in a Sentence

the reflective glare of the shiny metal

She was in a very reflective mood.

Recent Examples on the Web

Trump’s recent attitude toward TV news is reflective of that of the rest of the country, though millions are still watching Fox News. —Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025

Xi was tougher than most, but his behavior was still reflective of the context of the times. —Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025

This kind of behavior isn’t reflective of Sox fans or the city. —Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025

But this moment of opportunism was more reflective of Messi’s innate ability to read the game quicker than those around him, rather than a sign of technical prowess. —Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 20 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing reflective

• self-reflective

Rhymes for reflective

• advective
• affective
• collective
• connective
• convective
• corrective
• defective
• detective
• directive
• effective
• elective
• infective

Kids Definition

reflective

adjective

re·​flec·​tive ri-ˈflek-tiv 

1

: capable of reflecting light, images, or sound waves

2

: marked by reflection : thoughtful

3

: of, relating to, or caused by reflection

reflectively adverb

reflectiveness noun

reflectivity

ˌrē-ˌflek-ˈtiv-ət-ē

ri-

noun

Medical Definition

reflective

adjective

re·​flec·​tive ri-ˈflek-tiv 

1

: capable of reflecting light, images, or sound waves

2

: of, relating to, or caused by reflection

reflective glare of the snow