respond
Americanverb (used without object)
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to reply or answer in words.
to respond briefly to a question.
- Synonyms:
- rejoin
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to make a return by some action as if in answer.
to respond generously to a charity drive.
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to react favorably.
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Physiology. to exhibit some action or effect as if in answer; react.
Nerves respond to a stimulus.
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to correspond (usually followed byto ).
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Bridge. to make a response.
verb (used with object)
noun
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Architecture. a half pier, pilaster, or the like projecting from a wall as a support for a lintel or an arch, the other side of which is supported on a free-standing pier or column.
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Ecclesiastical.
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a short anthem chanted at intervals during the reading of a lection.
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verb
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to state or utter (something) in reply
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(intr) to act in reply; react
to respond by issuing an invitation
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to react favourably
this patient will respond to treatment
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an archaic word for correspond
noun
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architect a pilaster or an engaged column that supports an arch or a lintel
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Christianity a choral anthem chanted in response to a lesson read at a church service
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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respondsimple
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respondssimple
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have respondedperfect
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has respondedperfect
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am respondingprogressive
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are respondingprogressive
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is respondingprogressive
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have been respondingperfect progressive
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has been respondingperfect progressive
Past
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respondedsimple
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had respondedperfect
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was respondingprogressive
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were respondingprogressive
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had been respondingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of respond
First recorded in 1350–1400; (for the verb) from Latin respondēre “to promise in return, reply, answer,” from re- re- + spondēre “to pledge, promise”; (for the noun) Middle English: “responsory,” from Old French, derivative of respondre “to reply,” from Latin respondēre
Explanation
Invited to a great party? You might respond by shouting "Hooray!" and then letting your friend know you'll be there. To respond is to react or reply. Fireman, police, and EMTs are known as first responders. This is because they are the first people to respond to an emergency. If you get into an accident, an EMT might check your reflexes to see how they respond.
Vocabulary lists containing respond
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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"My Favorite Chaperone," Vocabulary from the short story
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Academic Vocabulary Toolkit 1, Words 81-90
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A representative for Motion Picture Association-Canada, which represents U.S. streaming companies, didn’t respond to a request for comment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Gray said the Scottish government was investing £1.7bn for policing this year and that police had all the resources they needed to respond to the incident and other major events.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
If the other hyperscalers also announce higher capital spending while free cash flow continues to weaken, investors may respond similarly.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
When glucose rises, they respond by producing additional insulin, which helps return blood sugar to a normal range.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026
He nudged up next to her, but Leylee didn’t respond.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
“Jean. I like Jean,” he responds, “she’s the villain but, like, there’s a reason to her madness.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
These measures reflect how effectively the body regulates blood sugar and responds to insulin, the hormone that helps move glucose from the bloodstream into cells.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026
Like Cude, Delorme finds that AI responds reasonably well to precise questions with clear frameworks.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
The company last year launched “AI Mode,” which searches and responds to users like a chatbot and with fewer links.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
“Yes. It does. But that should not be new information to you. This task is a perilous one,” Guardian responds quickly.
From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga
O'Connor responded by running a dominant 24.14 seconds in the 200m to reclaim top spot of the heptathlon competition.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
European football's governing body UEFA, which has been critical of Infantino, also responded.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
Clayton responded by saying he was committed to maintaining ODNI’s vital role.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
The attorney general’s office has not responded to questions about whether it received the complaint or whether it would hire a special prosecutor to investigate it, given that it involves the attorney general himself.
From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2026
I thought about how humans responded when animals came into their space, and how they kept monkeys and other wild animals as “pets.”
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
“Then the community doesn’t feel like the department is recognizing these legitimate problems and responding to their concerns.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
"In one trust alone, the technology has helped staff in responding to 1,453 safety incidents over a four-year period," LIO Health said.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Many of these funds churned their portfolios too much, responding to short-term signals instead of longer-term trends, he adds.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
“We are responding with urgency by strengthening our companion animal business, reinforcing our value position and improving productivity across the business,” Lawton said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Maybe we summoned him, like a superhero responding to a beacon in the night.
From "The Season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
