Words of Positivity
Browse the A to Z index4,633 ENTRIES

Receptively

adv.thoughtful, kindprofessional

What it means

With willingness to listen, consider, or accept.

Reach for it when describing attentive, nondefensive openness to another person's ideas or feelings

The coach listened receptively to feedback from new players.

Choose between these

8
  • everyday

    openly

    when lack of concealment or resistance is central

    not when Openly can describe expression rather than listening.

  • everyday

    without defensiveness

    when calm acceptance of feedback is the exact strength

    not when This phrase describes restraint more than active receptivity.

  • warm

    considerately

    when respectful regard shapes the response

    not when Consideration can remain polite without genuine openness.

  • warm

    sympathetically

    when caring understanding of difficulty is intended

    not when Sympathy may agree emotionally without considering the idea fairly.

  • warm

    with curiosity

    when questions and exploration show openness

    not when Curiosity can become intrusive and does not ensure respect.

  • professional

    attentively

    when sustained focus on the speaker matters

    not when Attention does not prove willingness to consider the message.

  • professional

    open-mindedly

    when willingness to revise a view is central

    not when Open-mindedly sounds awkward in intimate or elegant prose.

  • professional

    responsively

    when the listener answers the need or signal

    not when A response can be quick without being open-minded.

Said against

3
  • defensively
  • dismissively
  • resistantly

It naturally appears in

3
  • listen receptively

    The chair chose to listen receptively before explaining the constraint.

  • respond receptively

    She responded receptively to the apprentice's proposed change.

  • engage receptively

    Both groups agreed to engage receptively with the independent findings.

The word family

2

Where this comes from

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.