reactive
reactive — adjective
1. describing a person, team, or system that deals with problems only after they ha
describing a person, team, or system that deals with problems only after they happen, rather than taking action beforehand to prevent them.
Talia's team took a reactive approach, fixing bugs only after customers reported them.
reactive approach — common collocation in management writing
Rafael warned the board that a purely reactive strategy would leave them trailing behind competitors.
Amelia prefers a reactive management style, waiting for issues to surface before stepping in.
Dario argued that the company's reactive response to the data breach was its biggest failure.
- passive
stronger implication of inaction; reactive at least responds, passive may do nothing
- defensive
narrower scope — focuses on warding off threats rather than responding to any event
- responsive
positive connotation of quick helpful reaction; reactive often carries a negative sense of being too late
- proactive
acting in advance to prevent or shape events rather than reacting to them
文法句型
reactive + noun
be + reactive
用法筆記
Frequently contrasted with proactive in business and management writing. The subject is typically an approach, strategy, team, or organizational culture — not an individual's personality trait.
常見錯誤
2. describing a substance that easily undergoes chemical change when it comes into
describing a substance that easily undergoes chemical change when it comes into contact with another material.
Rin's chemistry teacher explained that sodium is highly reactive and must be kept under oil.
highly reactive — adverb + adjective intensifier pattern
Saira checked the data sheet to find which reactive compounds were in the mixture.
Nkechi's experiment showed that potassium is more reactive than calcium when dropped into water.
Iker stored the reactive gas in a sealed container away from any source of moisture.
文法句型
be + reactive
highly reactive + noun
reactive + noun
用法筆記
Common in laboratory and industrial safety contexts. Elements near the top of the reactivity series (e.g. alkali metals, halogens) are typically described as highly reactive. Often appears in warnings and handling instructions.
常見錯誤
3. describing a living organism, organ, or tissue that quickly responds to sensory
describing a living organism, organ, or tissue that quickly responds to sensory input such as touch, light, sound, or chemical contact from its surroundings.
Ayana noticed that her skin was unusually reactive to the ingredients in the new lotion.
reactive to [substance] — preposition pattern for stimuli
The doctor shone a light into Dahlia's eyes and confirmed that both pupils were reactive.
pupils were reactive — fixed medical expression
Mateo's tests showed his immune system was highly reactive to pollen and dust mites.
Roya's knee jerked forward when the doctor tapped it — a normal reactive reflex.
- responsive
more general term; reactive in medicine implies an observable physical response to a specific stimulus
- sensitive
overlaps in meaning but broader — can include emotional sensitivity; reactive is physical only
- unresponsive
medical term for tissue or organ that does not respond to stimuli
文法句型
reactive to + noun
用法筆記
Primarily used in medical examinations and biological descriptions. Pupil reactivity and skin reactivity are the most common clinical contexts. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense applies to living tissue responding to stimuli, not to chemical substances reacting with each other.