reflective

adjective
re·​flec·​tive | \ ri-ˈflek-tiv How to pronounce reflective (audio) \

Definition of reflective

1 : capable of reflecting light, images, or sound waves
3 : of, relating to, or caused by reflection reflective glare
5 : reflecting something : indicative how fashion is reflective of society— Glenda Bailey

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Other Words from reflective

reflectively adverb
reflectiveness noun

Did You Know?

Reflective people are people who reflect on things--that is, look back at things that have been done or said in order to think calmly and quietly about them. Most reflective people would agree with Socrates that (as he told the jury that would soon sentence him to death) "The unexamined life is not worth living". Reflective people tend to be a bit philosophical and intellectual. But almost everyone has reflective moods; gazing into a fireplace or a campfire seems to do it to almost everyone.

Examples of reflective in a Sentence

the reflective glare of the shiny metal She was in a very reflective mood.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Tweet President Trump posted over the weekend about fellow Members of Congress are not reflective of the values of the 1,000,000+ people in Texas 22. Tom Benning, Dallas News, "Sugar Land GOP Rep. Pete Olson won't run for re-election in district expected to be competitive in 2020," 25 July 2019 The comments of this associate are not reflective of the core values of Bucky's Convenience Stores. David Williams, CNN, "Protesters converge on Illinois convenience store after clerk told customers 'to go back to their country'," 19 July 2019 The comments made by the associate are not reflective of the core values of Bucky's Convenience Stores. Kate Gibson, CBS News, "Gas station clerk fired for telling customers to "go back to their country"," 19 July 2019 The Tweet President Trump posted over the weekend about fellow Members of Congress are not reflective of the values of the 1,000,000+ people in Texas 22. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, "GOP opposition grows to Trump’s ‘racist’ attacks," 15 July 2019 What's happening in Louisville isn't reflective of what's happening elsewhere in the state, Brown said. Kala Kachmar, The Courier-Journal, "He held his newborn son and was gunned down minutes later. Are Louisville gangs to blame?," 5 July 2019 But this mid-20th-century dedication was not reflective of the country’s sentiments on fatherhood during the first half of that century. Teen Vogue, "The Forgotten History Behind Father's Day," 15 June 2019 The music scene, specifically in central Baltimore … wasn’t reflective of women, LGBTQ people or black alternative music. Sameer Rao, baltimoresun.com, "Mining Baltimore's past and present, Abdu Ali releases album of "Fiyah!!!"," 13 June 2019 All these assumptions drive costs up and are likely not reflective of reality. Megan Geuss, Ars Technica, "Eleven researchers publish sharp critique of EPA fuel economy logic," 9 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reflective.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of reflective

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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More Definitions for reflective

reflective

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of reflective

: causing light, sound, or heat to move away : reflecting light, sound, or heat
: relating to or caused by light that reflects off a surface
: thinking carefully about something

reflective

adjective
re·​flec·​tive | \ ri-ˈflek-tiv How to pronounce reflective (audio) \

Medical Definition of reflective

1 : capable of reflecting light, images, or sound waves
2 : of, relating to, or caused by reflection reflective glare of the snow

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