respective

adjective

re·​spec·​tive ri-ˈspek-tiv 

1

: particular, separate

their respective homes

2

obsolete : partial, discriminative

respectiveness noun

Synonyms of respective

• different
• separate

Examples of respective in a Sentence

it was late when the concert let out, so we all went our respective ways

Recent Examples on the Web

Both Apple and Google have established a look for their respective watches and stuck with it for generations, with refinements along the way. — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 15 Aug. 2026

During that 90-minute back-and-forth, the two took shots at each other over homelessness, police hiring and their respective leadership styles, among other things. — Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026

Palace squeezed through 1-0 on aggregate against Norwegian side Fredrikstad and Chelsea edged past Swiss team Servette 3-2 on aggregate at the same stage of their respective triumphs in the competition. — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Advertisement Three other GOP representatives—Arizona’s Andy Biggs, Michigan’s John James, Wisconsin’s Tom Tiffany—as well as Tuberville have secured their party’s nominations in their respective gubernatorial races. — Chad De Guzman, Time, 14 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for respective

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

Kids Definition

respective

adjective

re·​spec·​tive ri-ˈspek-tiv 

: not the same or shared : separate

they hurried to their respective homes