introspective
adjective
in·tro·spec·tive
ˌin-trə-ˈspek-tiv 
: characterized by examination of one's own thoughts and feelings : thoughtfully reflective : employing, marked by, or tending to introspection
As a student, he was very quiet and introspective.
… encouraging a balance between the fast, upbeat songs and a band's more introspective side.—
David T. Lindsay
David T. LindsayThere's an interesting literature that suggests that when people are sad, they tend to pay attention to themselves. They become withdrawn and introspective and very aware of their body and their mind and not very aware of the external world.—Peter Salovey
Peter Salovey
introspectively
adverb
This whole episode set me thinking introspectively, and led me gradually but imperatively to self-analysis—not of powers, but of motives.
—Bram Stoker
Bram Stoker
introspectiveness
noun
Introversion is too often considered a sign of weakness when it should instead be an indication of strength, and associated with thoughtfulness, introspectiveness and independence.
—Jasmine Tatah
Jasmine Tatah
Examples of introspective in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Director Kogonada, who previously guided Farrell in After Yang, is going for alternate melancholy and whimsy, an uneven blend of introspective drama and high-concept fantasy that feels a bit lost in translation and doesn’t quite work the way it was intended.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2025
By the time the credits roll, Sound of Metal avoids all of the tired clichés that typically come from this sort of low-budget undertaking, and achieves something more introspective and, much like the hardest and most profound journeys in life, unresolved.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
The short films came from five countries around the world and showcased uproarious and introspective voices in independent cinema.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 12 Sep. 2025
Events of this summer require all parties to be introspective.
—Liam Tharme, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
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Pete Hammond, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2025
By the time the credits roll, Sound of Metal avoids all of the tired clichés that typically come from this sort of low-budget undertaking, and achieves something more introspective and, much like the hardest and most profound journeys in life, unresolved.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
The short films came from five countries around the world and showcased uproarious and introspective voices in independent cinema.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 12 Sep. 2025
Events of this summer require all parties to be introspective.
—Liam Tharme, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for introspective
Cite this Entry
“Introspective.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/introspective. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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