reactivity
noun
re·ac·tiv·i·ty
(ˌ)rē-ˌak-ˈti-və-tē 
: the quality or state of being reactive
emotional reactivity
chemical reactivity
If the brain, responding to psychological stress, stimulates the release of cortisol and cortisol suppresses the reactivity of the immune system, then a dormant viral infection may well flare up, or a new one catch hold.—
Matt Ridley
Matt RidleyAbnormal reactivity to light and abnormal pupillary size may be important clues to the presence of cranial injury in the setting of head trauma.—Bradford J. Shingleton
Bradford J. ShingletonExamples of reactivity in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The allure of reactivity and fast-twitch responses has such a constellation of factors.
—Sohee Jun, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024
Stress can trigger fear, frustration, or anger, increases reactivity and impulsivity and hampers thoughtful decision-making.
—Hanna Hart, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
These conditions share some symptoms, particularly, impulsivity, sleep disturbances, and high emotional reactivity.
—Carrie Madormo, Rn, Health, 1 Aug. 2024
The results are too impressive to be ignored, especially as questionable ingredients like prostaglandin (which has been linked to reports of eyelid hyperpigmentation, skin reactivity and styes) are swapped for non-irritating conditioning ingredients like peptides.
—Morgan Fargo, refinery29.com, 28 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for reactivity 
Sohee Jun, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024
Stress can trigger fear, frustration, or anger, increases reactivity and impulsivity and hampers thoughtful decision-making.
—Hanna Hart, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
These conditions share some symptoms, particularly, impulsivity, sleep disturbances, and high emotional reactivity.
—Carrie Madormo, Rn, Health, 1 Aug. 2024
The results are too impressive to be ignored, especially as questionable ingredients like prostaglandin (which has been linked to reports of eyelid hyperpigmentation, skin reactivity and styes) are swapped for non-irritating conditioning ingredients like peptides.
—Morgan Fargo, refinery29.com, 28 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for reactivity
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reactivity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Reactivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reactivity. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.
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reactivity
noun
re·ac·tiv·i·ty
(ˌ)rē-ˌak-ˈtiv-ət-ē
plural reactivities
: the quality or state of being reactive
skin reactivity
emotional reactivity
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