responsive
adjective
re·spon·sive ri-ˈspän(t)-siv 
1
: giving response : constituting a response : answering
a responsive glance
responsive aggression
2
: quick to respond or react appropriately or sympathetically : sensitive
3
: using responses
a responsive liturgy
responsively adverb
responsiveness noun
Did you know?
Responsive comes from the joining of Latin responsus with the suffix -ivus, which gave English -ive. That suffix changes verbs into adjectives, as in suggestive or corrosive. Responsus is a form of respondēre, which means "to answer" and is the source of English's respond. Responsive enters the language with the meaning "giving response" or "answering." Examples are "a responsive letter" or "a responsive glance." Nowadays, it variously describes people or things that immediately respond or react to something, such as "a responsive audience" or "a car with responsive steering."
Example Sentences
The patient was not responsive to the treatment. The store is very responsive to the needs of its customers.
Recent Examples on the Web Murkier still is the question of whether oil executives—many of them staunchly right-wing, with an ornery dislike for Democratic presidents—will be responsive to such incentives. 
Kate Aronoff, The New Republic, 12 Aug. 2022 Sharon Terry is President and CEO of Genetic Alliance, a leader in transforming health systems by being responsive to the real needs of people in their quest for health. Konstanze Frischen, Forbes, 10 Aug. 2022 Worse yet, respondents believed that their leaders generally overestimate the connectedness of their people by 2x, and only one in four report that leaders are responsive to their needs, communicate regularly, and treat team members equally. Accenture, Quartz, 9 Aug. 2022 Owners managing the process have to be responsive to the guests, comfortable maintaining the online listing, adept at handling the reservations, and efficient at communicating through emails and texts. oregonlive, 24 July 2022 Major leads, such as another’s lab identification of heat-responsive genes that affect flowering and growth, ended in crushing disappointment. Wired, 6 July 2022 The trauma-responsive social and emotional learning is a comprehensive classroom management program and a social-emotional curriculum. John Benson, cleveland, 6 July 2022 The car is extremely responsive, very agile, and frankly, an absolute joy to drive. Christian De Looper, BGR, 1 July 2022 The premiere of an artificial intelligence collaboration between John Gerrard and Richie Hawtin will take place in that few days, revealing a data- and environmental-responsive digital artwork. April Wallace, Arkansas Online, 19 Apr. 2022 See More
Kate Aronoff, The New Republic, 12 Aug. 2022 Sharon Terry is President and CEO of Genetic Alliance, a leader in transforming health systems by being responsive to the real needs of people in their quest for health. Konstanze Frischen, Forbes, 10 Aug. 2022 Worse yet, respondents believed that their leaders generally overestimate the connectedness of their people by 2x, and only one in four report that leaders are responsive to their needs, communicate regularly, and treat team members equally. Accenture, Quartz, 9 Aug. 2022 Owners managing the process have to be responsive to the guests, comfortable maintaining the online listing, adept at handling the reservations, and efficient at communicating through emails and texts. oregonlive, 24 July 2022 Major leads, such as another’s lab identification of heat-responsive genes that affect flowering and growth, ended in crushing disappointment. Wired, 6 July 2022 The trauma-responsive social and emotional learning is a comprehensive classroom management program and a social-emotional curriculum. John Benson, cleveland, 6 July 2022 The car is extremely responsive, very agile, and frankly, an absolute joy to drive. Christian De Looper, BGR, 1 July 2022 The premiere of an artificial intelligence collaboration between John Gerrard and Richie Hawtin will take place in that few days, revealing a data- and environmental-responsive digital artwork. April Wallace, Arkansas Online, 19 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing responsive
Kids Definition
responsive
adjective
re·spon·sive ri-ˈspän-siv
1
: showing interest
He was not responsive to our invitation.
2
: quick to respond in a sympathetic way
The store is responsive to its customer's needs.
Medical Definition
responsive
adjective
re·spon·sive ri-ˈspän(t)-siv
: making a response
especially : responding to treatment
pain responsive to opioids
responsiveness
noun
as in sensitivity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- sensitivity
- sensibility
- feelings
- compassion
- sympathy
- kindness
- empathy
- mercy
- ruth
- pity
- affinity
- kindliness
- rapport
- humanity
- generosity
- commiseration
- affection
- kindheartedness
- warmheartedness
- good-heartedness
- heart
- love
- feeling
- altruism
- largeheartedness
- humaneness
- softheartedness
- charity
- benevolence
- benignity
- bigheartedness
- regard
- goodwill
- humanism
- humanitarianism
- philanthropy
- benignancy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- indifference
- mercilessness
- coldness
- disinterest
- callousness
- pitilessness
- inhumanity
- hostility
- cruelty
- unconcern
- harshness
- coldheartedness
- inhumanness
- hatred
- hard-heartedness
- animosity
- antipathy
- dislike