Reflection

Careful thought about experience, meaning, or a decision.

Reach for it when naming deliberate thought that supports learning or judgment

A short period of reflection changed her response from defensive to curious.

• professional

  consideration

  when weighing a matter before action is central

  not when Consideration may stay practical without looking inward.

• professional

  review

  when structured examination of past work matters

  not when A review can be external and procedural rather than reflective.

• formal

  contemplation

  when sustained and serious thought is intended

  not when Contemplation can remain abstract and detached from experience.

• formal

  introspection

  when examining one's own thoughts and motives is precise

  not when Introspection is narrower than reflection on events or evidence.

An image, light, heat, or sound returned by a surface.

Reach for it when describing the physical result of reflected energy

The still pool held a sharp reflection of the repaired tower.

• everyday

  image

  when the visible likeness is all that matters

  not when Image does not state that a surface produced it by reflection.

• everyday

  mirror image

  when reversed visual correspondence is exact

  not when Not every reflection is mirror-clear or visibly reversed.

• literary

  echo

  when returned sound or figurative resemblance is intended

  not when Echo is wrong for light and may imply repetition over time.

A sign or expression of a quality, condition, or source.

Reach for it when linking an outcome with what it reveals about its origin

The generous schedule was a reflection of lessons learned during the pilot.

• warm

  expression

  when a quality is visibly or verbally communicated

  not when Expression may be intentional, while a reflection can be accidental.

• professional

  indication

  when something provides evidence of a condition

  not when An indication can be weak and need not closely reflect its source.

• formal

  embodiment

  when the example fully represents a quality

  not when Embodiment is stronger than partial reflection.

• thoughtlessness
• absorption
• concealment
• distortion

• time for reflection

  The facilitator left time for reflection before asking for decisions.

• clear reflection

  Polished steel produced a clear reflection without fragile glass.

• reflection of values

  The hiring process became a reflection of values rather than slogans.

• personal reflection

  Her personal reflection focused on the help she had overlooked.