What does "responsive" mean?

1. (reacting to people or needs) reacting quickly and in a helpful way to a person or a situation. 2. (medical or physical reaction) reacting to a physical touch, a medicine, or a treatment. 3. (web design) describing a website that changes its layout to fit perfectly on a phone, tablet, or computer. 4. (emotional sensitivity) showing that you understand and care about other people's feelings.

How do you use "responsive"?

Often followed by the preposition 'to'.

responsive

adj.

US //ɹɪˈspɑnsɪv// UK //ɹɪspˈɒnsɪv// re·spon·sive

1 reacting to people or needs (adj.)
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.

Example

The company is very responsive to customer complaints and usually replies within an hour.

Example

The local government proved surprisingly responsive to the community's concerns regarding the proposed development, immediately scheduling a public forum.

Usage

Often followed by the preposition 'to'.
- unresponsive
- indifferent
2 medical or physical reaction (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Medicine

reacting to a physical touch, a medicine, or a treatment.

showing a physical or physiological reaction to external stimuli or medical intervention.

Example

The patient's pupils were responsive to light, which was a good sign.

Example

The infection proved highly responsive to the new course of antibiotics, with the patient showing significant improvement within forty-eight hours.
- sensitive
- reactive
- unresponsive
- numb

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3 web design (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Computing

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.

Example

You should use a responsive design so your website looks good on mobile phones.

Example

The developer prioritised a responsive interface to ensure that the data visualisations remained legible across a variety of mobile and desktop platforms.
- adaptive
- flexible
- fixed width
- static
4 emotional sensitivity (adj.)
C1 Advanced Formal

showing that you understand and care about other people's feelings.

showing sensitivity or sympathy toward the emotions and needs of others.

Example

A responsive leader listens to their team and understands their worries.

Example

Her responsive nature made her an excellent counsellor, as she could intuitively sense the unspoken anxieties of her clients.
- cold
- unfeeling

Origin

From Middle French responsif, from Late Latin responsivus.

Word family

Nounresponsiveness
Adjectiveresponsive