The meaning of REDUCTIVE is of, relating to, causing, or involving reduction. How to use reductive in a sentence.

REDUCTIVE definition: of or relating to reduction; serving to reduce or abridge. See examples of reductive used in a sentence.

REDUCTIVE meaning: 1. considering or presenting something in a simple way, especially a way that is too simple: 2…. Learn more.

If you describe something such as a theory or a work of art as reductive, you disapprove of it because it reduces complex things to simple elements.

Feb 21, 2026 · reductive (comparative more reductive, superlative most reductive) (Scots law, now rare) Pertaining to the reduction of a decree etc.; rescissory. [from 16th c.]

Define reductive. reductive synonyms, reductive pronunciation, reductive translation, English dictionary definition of reductive. adj. 1. Of or relating to reduction.

There are nine meanings listed in OED's entry for the word reductive, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Definition of reductive adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

'Reductive' is an adjective meaning pertaining to the act of reducing; it often implies an oversimplification that strips away essential nuances or complexities.

Reductive things oversimplify information or leave out important details. A reductive argument won't win a debate, because it tries to make a complex issue much too simple.