Meaning & use

reflect

verb·Everyday

To think carefully about an experience, idea, or choice.

See it in a sentence

Take a moment to reflect on what the experiment taught you.

After the meeting, I reflected on how I could explain the plan more clearly.

A note on using this word

For careful thought, use 'reflect on' or 'reflect upon.' In other senses, reflect can take an object directly, as in 'reflect light.'

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. verb

To send light, sound, or heat back from a surface.

The pale walls reflect light around the room.

3. verb

To show an image of something on a surface.

The still pond reflected the red bridge.

4. verb

To show or express a quality, situation, or belief.

The new timetable reflects the community's need for evening buses.

Make it your own

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