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

Designed for operation in complex real-world environments, Dyno integrates a sophisticated AI system with a highly responsive sensor suite that enables autonomous navigation, situational awareness, and human-robot interaction. —Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 June 2026

The shifting is effortless and precise, the steering intuitively responsive, and the grip decidedly reassuring, as is the overall handling, a pleasant surprise for a car that pushes the lightweighting boundaries. —Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 1 June 2026

By overclocking, games will hit their target frame rates (usually 30fps) and become noticeably more responsive. —Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 1 June 2026

This stance is arguably responsive to her core constituency of white liberals, who are much more supportive of such efforts than Black voters are. —Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 1 June 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

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

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