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to reflect on

to reflect on

120 4.0
To think carefully about something and what it means
  • phrasal verb
  • /rɪˈflɛkt ɑn/
translation icon : reflexionar sobre
  • As she read the letter, she began to reflect on her past choices and their impact.
  • reflect on an experience
  • reflect on learning
  • reflect on one's own

Often we sit back and with nostalgia reflect on our best memories, right?

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Examples

  • Progress can be monitored by reflecting on outcomes at future team meetings.

    Academic text (2011)
  • It's the time for you to reflect on your own journey through Stanford.

  • What would you change as you reflect on your earlier work, if anything?

  • So let me just reflect on this for a moment.

  • I think it's time to reflect on this final thought.

  • Perhaps we can reflect on what it would mean to be him today.

  • And we all had time to reflect on what had just happened with this amazing amount of people turning up to tell their stories.

  • But I think you need to take some time and reflect on yourself.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • The final set of interviews provided the means for students to reflect on the entire year.

    Academic text (2011)
  • To understand this shift, it is useful to reflect on the origins of our present views.

    Academic text (1990)

Synonyms

to look at
vsto reflect on
1.0

Study something carefully to understand it or decide

is internal deep thought rather than outward inspection or visual examination
to think
vsto reflect on
1.0

To use your mind to consider something carefully

is more intensive and deeper than casual or general mental activity
to think about
vsto reflect on
1.0

To give attention to something in your mind

is deeper and more intensive than simple mental attention
to consider
vsto reflect on
1.1

To think carefully before making a decision

is deep thinking not always aimed at choosing between options
to study
vsto reflect on
1.0

To look at something carefully to understand it

is careful deep thought without the systematic or technical approach
to reconsider
vsto reflect on
227 3.7

To think again about a choice and possibly change it

is deep thinking without the necessary aspect of reexamining a past decision
to contemplate
vsto reflect on
186 4.8

To think deeply about something for a long time

is careful and deep without requiring long duration
to ponder
vsto reflect on
134 4.3

Think carefully for a long time about something

is careful and deep but can be shorter in time
to think it through
vsto reflect on
  • Informal
105 3.2

To look at all the details and what may happen before you decide

is careful deep thought without the requirement to plan actions
to dwell on
vsto reflect on
53 5.2

To think or talk a lot about something upsetting

is deep thought without the persistent negative or troubling focus
to deliberate
vsto reflect on
43 4.4

To think about something very carefully before deciding

is individual deep thought rather than formal group or procedural consideration
to mull
vsto reflect on
36 4.7

Think carefully for a long time before making a decision

is deep thought without the specific decision or timing focus
to muse
vsto reflect on
35 6.1

To think about something carefully for a long time

is deep thinking without the gentle or pleasant reflective tone
to review
vsto reflect on
20 2.3

To think about past events to remember or judge them

is deep thought not limited to remembering or assessing past events
to mull over
vsto reflect on
19 4.0

To think carefully about something before deciding

is deep thought not necessarily aimed at making a decision
to ruminate
vsto reflect on
10 7.6

To think carefully about something for a long time

is careful and deep without the repeated or obsessive quality
to think over
vsto reflect on
8 3.0

To look at something carefully before deciding

is deep thought not always tied to choosing or deciding
to cogitate
vsto reflect on
  • Formal
3 8.5

To think carefully and deeply about something

is the neutral everyday expression for deep careful thought
to ponder over
vsto reflect on
1 4.1

To think carefully about something for a long time

is careful and deep but not limited to long or single issues
to introspect
vsto reflect on
1 7.7

To think carefully about your own thoughts and feelings

is deep thought about anything, not only one's personal inner life
to excogitate
vsto reflect on
  • Formal
9.9

To think very carefully to find a new idea or solution

is deep thought without the specific goal of producing a solution

Antonyms

1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

332 3.0

To refuse to accept an idea or claim

How Deeply

to ruminate
10 7.6
to contemplate
186 4.8
to reflect on
120 4.0
to consider
1.1
to think about
1.0

Surface Forms

reflect on infinitive
reflected on past participle
reflecting on present participle
reflects on third person singular

Morphology

reflect + on

The meaning 'to think carefully and deeply about something' is directly derivable from 'reflect' (to think carefully) combined with the preposition 'on' marking the topic/target, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the phrasal meaning. This verb + preposition composition is a common, predictable pattern cross-linguistically, making the MWE immediately transparent to B1 learners.

Etymology

Reflect on comes from the simple picture of light bouncing back from a mirror: to reflect is to send light back on something so you can see it again. So when you reflect on an event, you 'think carefully' about it and look at it again in your mind.