responsive

adjective

Definition of responsivenext
1
as in sensitive
producing or exhibiting a desired reaction to The students were extremely responsive to the lecture and even stayed late to ask questions of the presenter. Much to the doctor's surprise, the patient was not responsive to the therapy.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words
2
as in prepared
inclined to act or respond readily or without hesitation He bought a car with responsive steering. The small business is always responsive to customer needs.

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 responsive Rather than treating young people as an invading force, Detroit can build a partnership with them to devise a flexible, responsive and sustainable strategy that supports the whole community. — Krista Mehari, The Conversation, 23 July 2026 Fabrics are more fluid, comfortable and responsive to the body. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 17 July 2026 Reviewers mention thorough inspections, responsive callbacks and long-term results. — Jay Sparks, USA Today, 15 July 2026 Their footbed is crafted from a responsive yoga mat material that provides extra cushioning, premium arch support, and a lightweight, springy feel with every step. — Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for responsive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for responsive
  1. sensitive
  2. prepared
  3. reactive
  4. quick
  5. excitable
  6. alert
Adjective
  • As the man building rings and providing backdrops with the event names on them for big press conferences, he is often trusted with sensitive information long before it is announced.
    — Chris McKenna, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • The risk manager requested anonymity to discuss sensitive business interests.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
Definition of sensitive
Adjective
  • Alas, the bad guys are very well prepared for just such an occasion, in terms of surveillance cameras as well as heavy artillery.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 26 July 2026
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
    — Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 July 2026
Definition of prepared
Adjective
  • Personally, niacinamide has held a regular place in my routine for years to treat my oil-prone, reactive skin.
    — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 23 July 2026
  • Continuous glucose monitors transformed diabetes care from reactive management to personalized, real-time decision making.
    — Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of reactive
Adjective
  • The ongoing outbreak has also recorded 2,500 cases almost three times quicker than that of 2014-2016.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
  • Aniston was quick to give her longtime bestie her virtual flowers, re-sharing the post on her Instagram Stories.
    — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 23 July 2026
Definition of quick
Adjective
  • The studio released the official trailer for the film on Thursday, showing Edgar-Jones as the formidable Elinor Dashwood; Esmé Creed-Miles as her excitable sister, Marianne; and Bodhi Rae Breathnach as their youngest sibling, Margaret.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026
  • The excitable kids had been instructed several times to give Bryce Young room.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 1 June 2026
Definition of excitable
Adjective
  • South Florida, on the other hand, is only at alert level one, which indicates that bleaching is expected.
    — Alex Harris July 23, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
  • SunRISE will help researchers better understand the behavior of incoming solar radio bursts, but the mission won't serve as an alert system by itself.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of alert

Browse Nearby Words

responsibleness
responsive
responsiveness
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Responsive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/responsive. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on responsive

Nglish: Translation of responsive for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of kludge

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All