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

But notably, caregivers are more responsive to the tenants’ schedules than in other kinds of residential care facilities. — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026

Power comes from a mid-drive motor producing 100 Nm of torque, paired with a responsive torque sensor that adjusts assistance based on your pedal pressure. — New Atlas, 7 Aug. 2026

This is partly out of necessity, as nonprofits, more than any other sector, need to be constantly responsive to the shifting winds of community need and donor focus. — Max Simkoff, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026

ThinkBook designs often have longer key travel to facilitate more accurate and responsive typing, but here the keys appear very flat, suggesting the key travel will be minimal. — Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026

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