Make Your Point > Archived Issues > INTROSPECTIVE
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pronounce
INTROSPECTIVE:
Say it "IN truh SPECK tiv."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
If you're introspective, you're looking inward, as if taking a good look inside yourself to see what's going on with you and what you should do about it.
And if you're ______spect, you're careful and watchful, as if looking all around yourself to see what's going on or what might happen next. Could you recall that one?
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
The word "introspective" has Latin roots that mean "looking inward."
Introspective people and things are the kind that focus inward on themselves in a thoughtful way, often thinking carefully about their own thoughts, feelings, and situations.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Adjective: "this introspective poem;" "Their new album is introspective."
Other common forms:
introspection, introspectively
how to use it:
This word is common, formal, and most often positive in tone.
You might talk about introspective people, moods, comments, facial expressions, pieces of writing, works of art, etc.
examples:
"The song and video are extraterrestrial and introspective. 'It’s about exploring the space around you and finding your own space in it all.'"
— Melissa Locker, quoting Max Vitali, Time, 12 August 2014
"But sometimes the talk turned a bit more introspective... I listened to two women in their 60s seated together, huddled over their breakfast plates, reminiscing about past marriages:
'You didn’t want kids?'
'I did. He didn't.'
'But that was unfair to you.'
She shrugged. 'I wouldn’t have gotten involved, but I was 35...'"
— Michael Ian Black, New York Times, 3 July 2018
has this page helped you understand "introspective"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "introspective" without saying "reflective" or "self-analyzing."
try it out:
Often, I find that the lyrics to pop songs are pretty introspective. I figure that's because they're often written by young artists who look inside themselves, using their own thoughts, feelings, and experiences as fodder for the songs.
Here's an introspective lyric, written by Bernie Taupin when he was about 19:
"It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside.
I'm not one of those who can easily hide."
And here's another introspective one, written by Fiona Apple when she, too, was about 19:
"Is that why they call me a sullen girl, sullen girl?
They don't know I used to sail the deep and tranquil sea."
With these in mind as examples, talk about another introspective lyric, song, album, or other work of art.
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game for March is "Yup, that's a real word."
Check out the definition of a silly-sounding word--yes, a real one, from the Oxford English Dictionary--and see if you can come up with the word itself. To see the answer, scroll all the way down.
Here's an example: "This three-syllable noun ending in the -ship suffix (as in 'friendship' and 'fellowship') means 'skill in traversing snow.'" The answer is "snowmanship." (Yup, that’s a real word!)
Try this one today:
This strange-looking two-syllable verb means "to take herbs (from somewhere)."
review this word:
A. "focused on the past."
B. "focused on external reality."
C. "focused on endings or conclusions."
2.
On display in this exhibit is a collection of _____, most of their content introspective.
A. personal diaries
B. sea captains' logs
C. letters between warring generals
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
If you're introspective, you're looking inward, as if taking a good look inside yourself to see what's going on with you and what you should do about it.
The word "introspective" has Latin roots that mean "looking inward."
Part of speech:
This word is common, formal, and most often positive in tone.
"The song and video are extraterrestrial and introspective. 'It’s about exploring the space around you and finding your own space in it all.'"
Explain the meaning of "introspective" without saying "reflective" or "self-analyzing."
Often, I find that the lyrics to pop songs are pretty introspective. I figure that's because they're often written by young artists who look inside themselves, using their own thoughts, feelings, and experiences as fodder for the songs.
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
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