Thesaurus results for REFLECT

Q: How is the word 'reflect' different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of reflect are cogitate , deliberate , reason , speculate , and think . While all these words mean "to use one's powers of conception, judgment, or inference," reflect suggests unhurried consideration of something recalled to the mind. // reflecting on fifty years of married life

Q: Where would 'cogitate' be a reasonable alternative to 'reflect'?

While the synonyms cogitate and reflect are close in meaning, cogitate implies deep or intent thinking. // cogitated on the mysteries of nature

Q: When is it sensible to use 'deliberate' instead of 'reflect'?

While in some cases nearly identical to reflect , deliberate suggests slow or careful reasoning before forming an opinion or reaching a conclusion or decision. // the jury deliberated for five hours

Q: In what contexts can 'reason' take the place of 'reflect'?

The words reason and reflect can be used in similar contexts, but reason stresses consecutive logical thinking. // able to reason brilliantly in debate

Q: When might 'speculate' be a better fit than 'reflect'?

The meanings of speculate and reflect largely overlap; however, speculate implies reasoning about things theoretical or problematic. // speculated on the fate of the lost explorers

Q: When could 'think' be used to replace 'reflect'?

In some situations, the words think and reflect are roughly equivalent. However, think is general and may apply to any mental activity, but used alone often suggests attainment of clear ideas or conclusions. // teaches students how to think

reflect

verb

ri-ˈflekt

Definition of reflect

as in to mirror

to reproduce or show (an exact likeness) as a mirror would her face was reflected in the waters of the still pond

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to comment

to make a statement of one's opinion reflected on the huge influence that the electronic media have on our national elections

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word reflect different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of reflect are cogitate, deliberate, reason, speculate, and think. While all these words mean "to use one's powers of conception, judgment, or inference," reflect suggests unhurried consideration of something recalled to the mind.

reflecting on fifty years of married life

Where would cogitate be a reasonable alternative to reflect?

While the synonyms cogitate and reflect are close in meaning, cogitate implies deep or intent thinking.

cogitated on the mysteries of nature

When is it sensible to use deliberate instead of reflect?

While in some cases nearly identical to reflect, deliberate suggests slow or careful reasoning before forming an opinion or reaching a conclusion or decision.

the jury deliberated for five hours

In what contexts can reason take the place of reflect?

The words reason and reflect can be used in similar contexts, but reason stresses consecutive logical thinking.

able to reason brilliantly in debate

When might speculate be a better fit than reflect?

The meanings of speculate and reflect largely overlap; however, speculate implies reasoning about things theoretical or problematic.

speculated on the fate of the lost explorers

When could think be used to replace reflect?

In some situations, the words think and reflect are roughly equivalent. However, think is general and may apply to any mental activity, but used alone often suggests attainment of clear ideas or conclusions.

teaches students how to think

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of reflect The companies also raked in nearly $90 billion in cash generation over the same period, reflecting an all-time high — higher even than in the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. — Justina Lee,alex Harring, CNBC, 9 Aug. 2026 Santa Clara County prosecutors, and lawyers with the state Attorney General’s Office representing the opposition parties, point to the second line as reflecting Terry leaving open the door for future prosecution upon the discovery of new evidence. — Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026 Many of the goals of the existing NWI 2050+ plan will remain the same, but others are being updated to reflect progress already made. — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026 Everyone thinks summer is beach season on the Oregon Coast—and tourist numbers reflect that. — Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 9 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reflect

Recent Examples of Synonyms for reflect

Verb

Defensive depth on display in dominant performance As the Falcons took the field for their fourth drive of Friday’s game, they were mirrored by a handful of Denver’s defensive starters.

— Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Marie and Luna’s world expands with the arrival of Sapphire (Ashley Benson) and Gemma (Madelaine Petsch), whose relationship mirrors many of the same tensions.

— Callum McLennan, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of mirror

Verb

Netanyahu, as others have remarked, likes to build his next coalition ahead of the election rather than after it.

— Andrew Carey, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
In the promo, Lasso is shown coaching the English club Tottenham Hotspur FC and satirically remarking on differences between American football and soccer.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of remark

Verb

Energy supply disruptions remain a key market concern, with tanker traffic through the strait still subdued, said Lloyd Chan, senior currency analyst at MUFG Bank in Singapore, noting that Brent prices remain way above above pre-conflict levels.

— Chloe Taylor,Anniek Bao, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026
Struijk and Svoboda both captained their former clubs and Vuskovic’s leadership qualities were noted during his spell last season with Hamburg.

— Andy Naylor, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of note

Verb

The greatest change was observed for women composers, whose employment has surged since 2007, when there were no women composers working across the top 100 movies.

— Angelique Jackson, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
Lunar eclipses are completely safe to observe with the naked eye, binoculars or telescopes.

— Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of observe

Verb

The attack damaged a wall of a Wildberries warehouse in the Tver region north of Moscow, the region’s acting governor Vitaly Korolyov said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
The New York Times, which first reported Rideout's release, said the 50-year-old had worked as a missionary in Niger for 19 years and was a pilot for SIM International.

— CBS News, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of say

Browse Nearby Words

refixing

reflect

reflected

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Reflect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reflect. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of reflect

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on reflect

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

zeugma

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes