reactive
reactive Lexical Profile
reactive Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Acting in response to a situation or stimulus rather than creating or controlling it; showing a response to an event.
"The company's management style was criticized for being purely reactive to market crises rather than forward-looking."
Having a tendency to undergo chemical reactions readily, often releasing energy in the process.
"Alkali metals like sodium and potassium are highly reactive and must be stored under mineral oil to prevent contact with moisture."
Word Nuance & Usage
In business and behavioral contexts, 'reactive' is frequently contrasted with 'proactive' to describe a passive approach that merely responds to events after they occur rather than anticipating them.
• Rhymes for reactive
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the mid-19th century from the verb 'react' plus the suffix '-ive', ultimately tracing back to the Latin 'reactus', from 're-' (back) and 'agere' (to do or drive).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.