Receptive

Practice This Word

Willing to consider or receive new ideas, signals, or feedback; open to information and influence.

adjective

Receptive

Willing to consider or receive new ideas, signals, or feedback; open to information and influence.

adjective

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Imagine This

Imagine a meeting where every speaker is met with attentive nods and thoughtful questions, showing the audience is ready to take in new ideas.

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Sounds Like

ri-SEP-tiv

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Looks Like

Looks like 'reception' in spelling; shares the root 'cept' meaning take or receive

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Remember This

Receptive is about openness to ideas and input, not gullibility. Commonly used with 'to' (receptive to) followed by a noun or -ing phrase.

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Other Forms

receptivitynoun

receptivenessnoun

receptivelyadverb

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Connect With

open-minded, amenable, responsive, accepting

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Note

Do not confuse with 'receptive' implying gullibility; it simply means willing to listen and consider. Use with 'to' phrases like 'receptive to feedback' or 'receptive to change'.

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Study Deeper

Examples

The committee was receptive to the new proposal after the presenter clarified the details.
Young students are often more receptive to hands-on activities than to lectures.

Synonyms

open-mindedamenableresponsiveacceptingflexible

Antonyms

closed-mindedunreceptiveresistant

Etymology

From Latin receptivus, from recipere 'to receive' (take back, take in) + suffix -ivus; the sense is 'able to take in or receive ideas'.

Mnemonic

RECEPT-IVE: Ready to RECEIVE ideas; picture a mailbox eagerly receiving letters—the more it receives, the more receptive it becomes.