1. oversimplifying something complex by reducing it to basic or essential elements
2. involving or causing reduction in size, amount, or complexity
3. relating to a chemical reaction in which electrons are gained or oxygen is removed
Usage: chemistry

Examples

• His reductive analysis ignored many important factors.
• The critic called the film’s portrayal of war too reductive.
• She avoided reductive thinking when studying the complex issue.
• The reductive approach simplified the problem too much.
• Reductive reasoning can lead to false conclusions.
• The reductive process removed unnecessary details.
• Scientists studied the reductive properties of the compound.