Reflect

Meaning

Reflect means to think carefully and deeply about something, especially about an experience, decision, or idea. It can also mean to show or represent a particular quality, situation, or feeling.

Pronunciation

/rɪˈflekt/

Word Forms

• Base form: reflect
• Past tense: reflected
• Past participle: reflected
• Present participle: reflecting
• Noun: reflection
• Adjective: reflective

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

• reflect on something — to think carefully about something that has happened.
• reflect upon something — to consider something deeply.
• reflect on the past — to think carefully about past experiences or events.
• reflect on one's actions — to consider one's own behaviour and decisions.
• reflect deeply — to think about something in a serious and thoughtful way.
• reflect the truth — to accurately represent or show what is true.

Example Sentences

• She spent the evening reflecting on everything that had happened.
• He reflected on his mistakes before making the decision.
• The experience made her reflect on what she really wanted.
• The results reflect the amount of effort the students put into their work.
• His face reflected a mixture of sadness and relief.

Literary Example

Example:

“I reflected. I scarcely knew what school was: Bessie sometimes spoke of it as a place where young ladies sat in the stocks...”

— Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

Here, reflected means thought carefully about something. Jane is thinking about what she knows and does not know about school before she is sent away to Lowood.

Story Workshop

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Related Words

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