reactive

adjective

Definition of reactivenext
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of reactive The report concludes that resilience must become a core strategic priority rather than a reactive response to crises. — Mitch New, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026 How Reaction Took Hold Of Airline Operations The dominant model in the industry remains reactive—detect a disruption, escalate, coordinate across silos and then recover. — Abha Dogra, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026 The skin barrier, which is the outermost protective layer of the skin, can also play an important role in how reactive skin is, says Alan Meyers, an R&D and formulation expert based in New Jersey. — Jenny Jin, Glamour, 29 Sep. 2026 Chalayan and his team had spent around six months developing the water-reactive material. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reactive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reactive
  1. spontaneous
  2. mechanical
  3. automatic
  4. mechanic
  5. conditioned
  6. simple
Adjective
  • Harris also helped shape the movie’s imagination sequences, pushing Pixar’s artists toward more spontaneous, painterly images rather than the studio’s usual meticulous realism.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Johnson’s initial connection with EY CEO and Global Chair Janet Truncale was a spontaneous one.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of spontaneous
Adjective
  • Related Stories Speaking at View Conference in Turin on Thursday, Hickel, who recently marked 30 years at ILM, detailed how the team mixed digital animation with physical sets, mechanical rigs and traditional stop-motion.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • For example, changes in contact forces could indicate whether a screw has engaged correctly, while audio cues could help identify when a mechanical latch has clicked into place.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of mechanical
Adjective
  • Shortly after, Wilcox slammed on the brakes, jumped out of his vehicle, took out a loaded semi-automatic handgun and fired three gunshots at the officer, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • But until recently, most automatic speech recognition (ASR) services with high-quality transcription only worked for a small number of them.
    — Richard Eisenberg, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of automatic
Adjective
  • Parched fields force hydroponic growers, vegetable farmers and fruit producers to halt harvests, sell off underfed livestock at rock-bottom prices and even return to mechanic jobs to survive.
    — Dánica Coto, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • There are exceptions and one is Hig (Elordi), who before the virus hit was a mechanic living a good life with his pregnant wife and new puppy.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of mechanic
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of conditioned
Adjective
  • His lyrics, his hooks, his unmistakable voice, his optimism, his belief in the power of a simple song to make people feel good.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Some people want to change the world, and others want to operate in simple harmony with it and savor life.
    — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of simple

Browse Nearby Words

reactivations
reactive
reacts
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Cite this Entry

“Reactive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reactive. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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