Meaning & use
receptive
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Meanings
adjectivecomparableapproving
Ready to listen to and think about new ideas, suggestions or proposals without rejecting them at once.
Grammar: Often followed by to: receptive to feedback.
Patterns
- receptive to something
- receptive audience
The manager was receptive to our suggestions.
Voters seemed receptive to the new plan.
Children are often more receptive to new languages.
adjectivenot comparabletechnical
Able to take in sensory messages or receive signals, as nerves or receptors do.
Grammar: Used in biology and linguistics.
Patterns
- receptive cells
- receptive skills
Receptive skills include listening and reading.
The cell is receptive to certain hormones.
She tested the receptive field of the neuron.
adjectivecomparablespecialist
In a fit state to accept something, such as a seed bed or a mate.
Grammar: Specialist usage.
Patterns
- receptive to something
The soil was receptive to seeds after the rain.
The plant is receptive to pollen for two days.
The female becomes receptive during breeding season.
Word forms
| comparative | more receptive |
|---|---|
| superlative | most receptive |
Common combinations
- receptive to
- She is receptive to criticism.
- highly receptive
- The audience was highly receptive.
- receptive audience
- He found a receptive audience.
- receptive mind
- A receptive mind learns faster.
- remain receptive
- We must remain receptive to change.
Synonyms and how they differ
- open
- Open is shorter and warmer, describing willingness in general.
- responsive
- Responsive means reacting quickly and positively, while receptive means willing to take in.
- amenable
- Amenable suggests being easily persuaded or agreeable.
- open-minded
- Open-minded describes a general habit of fairness, not a specific moment.
Opposites
Word family
- receptivity noun
- the quality of being receptive
- receptively adverb
- in an open and willing way
- receptor noun
- a nerve ending or cell that senses signals
- reception noun
- the act of receiving
- receive verb
- to get something
Commonly confused: receptive or receptacle? receptive or perceptive?
receptive vs receptacle
A receptacle is a container; receptive describes openness.
receptive vs perceptive
Perceptive means quick to notice; receptive means willing to accept.
Practice
The board was receptive ___ the new proposal.
Choose one answer.
Receptive takes the preposition to. At, for and of do not fit this adjective.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “receptive”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.