reply
Americanverb (used without object)
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to make answer in words or writing; answer; respond.
to reply to a question.
- Synonyms:
- rejoin
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to respond by some action, performance, etc..
to reply to the enemy's fire.
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to return a sound; echo; resound.
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Law. to answer a defendant's plea.
verb (used with object)
verb
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to make answer (to) in words or writing or by an action; respond
he replied with an unexpected move
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(tr; takes a clause as object) to say (something) in answer
he replied that he didn't want to come
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law to answer a defendant's plea
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to return (a sound); echo
noun
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an answer made in words or writing or through an action; response
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the answer made by a plaintiff or petitioner to a defendant's case
Related Words
See answer.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of reply
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English replien (verb), from Middle French replier “to fold back, reply,” from Latin replicāre “to unroll, fold back”; see replicate
Explanation
Whenever you say something in response to someone, you reply. If your teacher asks why you're late to school, you might reply, "Sorry, I missed the bus." To answer back or respond is to reply, and whatever you say is also a reply. Your reply could be a long quotation from a Shakespeare soliloquy, or it might be a simple, silent nod of the head. You can also reply using a letter, a text, or an email. Reply comes from the Late Latin replicare, which means both "to reply or repeat," but also "to fold back."
Vocabulary lists containing reply
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.
The couple parted ways following a backlash from fans, who accused them of being in a "transit relationship", noting that Ryu had recently ended a seven-year romance with his Reply 1988 co-star singer-actress Lee Hyeri.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2024
Goldman, who was the co-host of the breakout Gimlet tech podcast Reply All, says Spotify evaluated podcasts solely based on whether they led to new subscription sign-ups for the streaming service.
From Slate • Dec. 6, 2023
Even if your group is comfortable just sticking with familiar methods like WhatsApp groups, message apps or Reply All emails, increased social activity can be costly for those with limited data or message plans.
From New York Times • May 31, 2023
There’s even an entire 2004 Cantopop hit by Hong Kong crooner Fiona Sit dedicated to pining after the mild-mannered Canadian: “A Reply Letter from Keanu Reeves.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2022
“That is no answer; or rather it is a very irritating, because a very evasive one. Reply clearly.”
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
