as in spontaneous
done in immediate response to something especially without thinking or planning
He realized his aggressive response to their criticisms had been reactive. The board stressed the need for a less reactive and more proactive approach to problem-solving.
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Recent Examples of reactive
Alex is, at once, a proactive gumshoe and a reactive Mia-Farrow-in-Rosemary’s-Baby-type figure.
—
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2025
Co-founder and former Discord CEO Jason Citron testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee in January 2024 that Discord uses a mix of proactive and reactive tools to enforce its terms of service and community guidelines.
—Kevin Collier, NBC news, 24 Sep. 2025
Researchers also created a safe and scalable method for recycling highly reactive lithium-metal anodes.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2025
The goal is to evolve from a reactive posture to one of true business resilience, where holistic security is seen as a unified, board-level imperative in which companies take several proactive measures.
—Mike Hodgkinson, Big Think, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reactive
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2025
Co-founder and former Discord CEO Jason Citron testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee in January 2024 that Discord uses a mix of proactive and reactive tools to enforce its terms of service and community guidelines.
—Kevin Collier, NBC news, 24 Sep. 2025
Researchers also created a safe and scalable method for recycling highly reactive lithium-metal anodes.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2025
The goal is to evolve from a reactive posture to one of true business resilience, where holistic security is seen as a unified, board-level imperative in which companies take several proactive measures.
—Mike Hodgkinson, Big Think, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reactive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reactive
Adjective
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My photos from Sleepwalking are spontaneous, and coincidence is very important to keep my curiosity alive and to look out for narratives.—
Caterina De Biasio,
Vogue,
24 Sep. 2025
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The Harlem Renaissance was filled with poetry and song—and with performance, as enshrined in Greaves’s footage which features many spontaneous, thrillingly theatrical recitations of poems by Bontemps, Hughes, Cullen, and McKay.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Driving through deep water can also affect a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
29 Sep. 2025
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By overcoming these hurdles, the researchers significantly improved both the mechanical stability and electromagnetic performance of the magnet.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The Idaho Transportation Department uses automatic traffic counters along the highway to calculate the average number of vehicles each day.—
Sally Krutzig,
Idaho Statesman,
26 Sep. 2025
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Customers who do not qualify for the automatic payouts will have to wait until after the first payout.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Kreider is refreshed to be teaching young folks who are engaged in mechanic work.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
19 Sep. 2025
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The man was working at a mechanic shop in the 4300 block of Eden Road in Kennedale.—
Fousia Abdullahi,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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As the protagonist Ben in Night of the Living Dead (1968), Duane Jones unveiled a distinct facet of pre-conditioned Black martyrdom.—
Malik Peay,
Rolling Stone,
7 Feb. 2023
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The new formula is infused with a luscious blend of flower oils so that lashes feel conditioned and supple to the touch.—
Daisy Maldonado,
SELF,
13 Sep. 2022
Adjective
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Don’t pull over in the roundabout Roundabouts with a single lane of traffic in each direction are fairly simple – yield to traffic in the roundabout, wait for a gap in traffic and go through, Bryson said.—
Eric D. Lawrence,
USA Today,
28 Sep. 2025
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This can be as simple as bodyweight movements, resistance bands or dumbbells, focusing on compound/functional movements like squats, pushes and pulls.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
27 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reactive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reactive. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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