Reactive vs. Proactive — What's the Difference?

Tending to be responsive or to react to a stimulus.

(of a person or action) creating or controlling a situation rather than just responding to it after it has happened

Characterized by reaction.

Acting in advance to deal with an expected difficulty; anticipatory

Chemistry & Physics Tending to participate readily in reactions.

Acting in advance to deal with an expected change or difficulty

That reacts or responds to a stimulus

Descriptive of any event or stimulus or process that has an effect on events or stimuli or processes that occur subsequently;

(chemistry) that readily takes part in reactions

(of a policy or person or action) controlling a situation by causing something to happen rather than waiting to respond to it after it happens

(electronics) Characterized by induction or capacitance rather than resistance.

Reacting to the past rather than anticipating the future, not predictive.

Having power to react; tending to reaction; of the nature of reaction.

Participating readily in reactions;

Tending to react to a stimulus;