receptive

adjective

re·​cep·​tive ri-ˈsep-tiv 

1

: able or inclined to receive

especially : open and responsive to ideas, impressions, or suggestions

2

a

of a sensory end organ : fit to receive and transmit stimuli

b

: sensory

3

of a female animal : willing to copulate with a male

a receptive mare

receptively adverb

receptiveness noun

receptivity

ˌrē-ˌsep-ˈti-və-tē 

ri-

noun

Synonyms of receptive

• open

Examples of receptive in a Sentence

I was happy to be speaking before such a receptive audience.

needed a partner who was receptive to new ways of managing the business

Recent Examples on the Web

In America, the lessons of Impressionism—which coincided in France with the end of an empire and the beginning of the enduring Third Republic—fell on receptive ground. —Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026

The ability to stay loose and receptive to his on-field work was key to his new on-field role. —Kansas City Star, 30 Apr. 2026

So far, customers have been receptive to the news. —Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Apr. 2026

Weeks before reports that United was considering a deal with American (which rebuffed the idea) Kirby paid a visit to the White House and pitched the merits of the airline merger to Trump himself — an idea the president was said to be receptive to, according to a person briefed on the meeting. —Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for receptive

• deceptive
• perceptive
• contraceptive
• nociceptive
• proprioceptive

Kids Definition

receptive

adjective

re·​cep·​tive ri-ˈsep-tiv 

1

: able or willing to receive especially ideas

2

: able to receive and pass on stimuli

the receptive part of the retina

receptively adverb

receptiveness noun

receptivity

ˌrē-ˌsep-ˈtiv-ət-ē 

ri-

noun

Medical Definition

receptive

adjective

re·​cep·​tive ri-ˈsep-tiv 

1

: open and responsive to ideas, impressions, or suggestions

2

a

of a sensory end organ : fit to receive and transmit stimuli

b

: sensory sense 1

receptiveness noun

receptivity

ˌrē-ˌsep-ˈtiv-ət-ē, ri- 

noun

plural receptivities