responsive

adjective

re·​spon·​sive ri-ˈspän(t)-siv 

1

: giving response : constituting a response : answering

a responsive glance

responsive aggression

2

: quick to respond or react appropriately or sympathetically : sensitive

3

: using responses

a responsive liturgy

responsively adverb

responsiveness noun

Did you know?

Responsive comes from the joining of Latin responsus with the suffix -ivus, which gave English -ive. That suffix changes verbs into adjectives, as in suggestive or corrosive. Responsus is a form of respondēre, which means "to answer" and is the source of English's respond. Responsive enters the language with the meaning "giving response" or "answering." Examples are "a responsive letter" or "a responsive glance." Nowadays, it variously describes people or things that immediately respond or react to something, such as "a responsive audience" or "a car with responsive steering."

Examples of responsive in a Sentence

The patient was not responsive to the treatment.

The store is very responsive to the needs of its customers.

Recent Examples on the Web

The quarterly rebalanced mix of large-, mid- and small-cap RV Portfolio stocks provided a responsive way to make the most of upbeat market conditions while limiting losses when markets head south, as detailed in RV Portfolio performance metrics. —Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025

The buttons are also responsive, and the scroll wheel is nice and smooth. —Brenda Stolyar, Wired News, 9 May 2025

The administration has said the job cuts will save money and make HHS more responsive. —Stephanie Armour, CNN Money, 6 May 2025

Language has always been very dynamic and very responsive to the technology and the context. —Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 1 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing responsive

• hyper-responsive

Rhymes for responsive

• nonresponsive
• unresponsive

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Kids Definition

responsive

adjective

re·​spon·​sive ri-ˈspän(t)-siv 

1

: giving response : being an answer

a responsive smile

2

: quick to respond or react sympathetically : sensitive

responsive to the needs of the poor

responsively adverb

responsiveness noun

Medical Definition

responsive

adjective

re·​spon·​sive ri-ˈspän(t)-siv 

: making a response

especially : responding to treatment

pain responsive to opioids