Meaning & use
reactive
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Responding to events or situations after they happen, rather than anticipating or preventing them.
See it in a sentence
The company's reactive approach to customer complaints meant problems were rarely prevented.
He tends to be reactive under stress instead of thinking things through calmly.
A note on using this word
Frequently contrasted with 'proactive,' which describes acting in advance to prevent problems rather than merely responding to them.
Words with a similar meaning
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Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. adjective
In chemistry, readily undergoing chemical reactions.
Sodium is a highly reactive metal that reacts violently with water.
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