responsive
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
reacting quickly and in a helpful way to a person or a situation.
reacting quickly and positively to suggestions, requests, or influence.
Simple“The company is very responsive to customer complaints and usually replies within an hour.”
In context“The local government proved surprisingly responsive to the community's concerns regarding the proposed development, immediately scheduling a public forum.”
UsageOften followed by the preposition 'to'.
Antonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
reacting to a physical touch, a medicine, or a treatment.
showing a physical or physiological reaction to external stimuli or medical intervention.
Simple“The patient's pupils were responsive to light, which was a good sign.”
In context“The infection proved highly responsive to the new course of antibiotics, with the patient showing significant improvement within forty-eight hours.”
Antonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
describing a website that changes its layout to fit perfectly on a phone, tablet, or computer.
relating to a web design approach where layouts automatically adjust to the user's device and screen size.
Simple“You should use a responsive design so your website looks good on mobile phones.”
In context“The developer prioritised a responsive interface to ensure that the data visualisations remained legible across a variety of mobile and desktop platforms.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
showing that you understand and care about other people's feelings.
showing sensitivity or sympathy toward the emotions and needs of others.
Simple“A responsive leader listens to their team and understands their worries.”
In context“Her responsive nature made her an excellent counsellor, as she could intuitively sense the unspoken anxieties of her clients.”
SynonymsAntonymscoldunfeeling
“It provides a great riding experience in scooter mode, feeling both maneuverable and responsive.”
“Their results show that exposure to light can make an atom more responsive to the movement of neighboring atoms.”
From Middle French responsif, from Late Latin responsivus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.