excessive reflection

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "excessive reflection" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone is thinking too much about something, often to the point of being counterproductive. Example: "His excessive reflection on past mistakes prevented him from moving forward in his career."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

"What is certain is that we are going through in France questions of disobedience, of incivility, of loss of bearings, and this group of irritated young kids is an excessive reflection of those questions".

The New York Times

Friends and family members say the entire Bush family is exceptionally averse to introspection, in part because of an ingrained notion that excessive reflection is wimpish and also because of a fear that journalists will pounce on any self-searching and exaggerate any vulnerabilities it reveals.

The New York Times

(See Lunyu 7.22) While he sometimes warns against excessive reflection and meditation, Confucius' position appears to be a middle course between learning and reflecting on what one has learned.

SEP

This would lead us to believe that either the transmucosal bone level placement attempt was inaccurate or excessive reflection of the labial tissue has caused some degree of resorption.

International Journal of Implant Dentistry

The intrinsically low ΔTsol (<16%) is due to the fact that VO2 has a higher refractive index (RI) from 500 nm to 2200 nm wavelength below its critical transition temperature (τc), which causes excessive reflection at a lower temperature.

Journal of Alloys and Compounds

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Excessive reflections are due to the incompability between the governing finite difference equation and the Bayliss-Turkel radiation boundary condition.

Journal of Computational Physics

However, when a smaller number of grid points per wavelength is used excessive reflections occur which tend to overwhelm the computed solutions.

Journal of Computational Physics

A washout is when your field of view begins to turn white due to excessive light reflection.

WikiHow

However, excessive self-reflection can be counterproductive.

The Guardian

Avoid excessive self-reflection; your job is to look out, not in.

The New Yorker

Existential distress at the end of life bears many of the psychological hallmarks of a hyperactive default-mode network, including excessive self-reflection and an inability to jump the deepening grooves of negative thought.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When criticizing someone's thought process, use "excessive reflection" to suggest they are overthinking a situation, rather than lacking intelligence. This is more constructive.

Common error

Avoid confusing "reflection", which refers to thinking, with "reflex", which is an involuntary action. Using "excessive reflex" would be nonsensical in most contexts where "excessive reflection" is appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "excessive reflection" functions as a noun phrase, where the adjective "excessive" modifies the noun "reflection". It describes the act of thinking or contemplating in an exaggerated or immoderate manner. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "excessive reflection" describes the state of overthinking, often to a detrimental degree. While grammatically sound, as validated by Ludwig AI, its frequency is relatively rare. The phrase appears most commonly in news, media, and scientific contexts. When using "excessive reflection", be mindful of its critical connotation and consider alternatives like "overthinking" or "obsessive rumination" depending on the context. Avoid confusing "reflection" with "reflex". Use it judiciously to convey the idea of unproductive or detrimental over-analysis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

excessive introspection

Focuses on the act of self-examination, highlighting its excessive nature.

overthinking

A more concise and common term for thinking too much about something.

over analyzing

Informal synonym for "excessive reflection" with a focus on analysis.

morbid introspection

Implies a negative or unhealthy focus on one's inner thoughts and feelings.

dwelling on thoughts

Describes the act of lingering on particular thoughts, often negatively.

obsessive rumination

Suggests a repetitive and intrusive pattern of thinking.

hyper-analysis

Describes the state of analyzing in an excessive way.

undue contemplation

Highlights the inappropriateness or excessiveness of the thinking.

prolonged deliberation

Emphasizes the extended duration of the thought process.

exaggerated self-analysis

Indicates an inflated or distorted focus on one's self.

FAQs

What does "excessive reflection" mean?

Excessive reflection refers to thinking about something too much, often to the point where it becomes detrimental or unproductive. It implies an over-analysis or dwelling on thoughts unnecessarily.

When is "excessive reflection" considered negative?

It's seen as negative when it leads to paralysis by analysis, prevents decision-making, or causes undue stress and anxiety. In such cases, it hinders progress rather than aiding it.

What are some alternatives to "excessive reflection"?

You can use alternatives like "overthinking", "obsessive rumination", or "excessive introspection" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

How can I avoid "excessive reflection"?

Practice mindfulness, set time limits for decision-making, seek external perspectives, and focus on taking action rather than endlessly contemplating. Learn to trust your intuition and accept that some uncertainty is inevitable.