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Synonyms

answer to

Idioms  

  1. Explain or justify something to someone, as in If Mary doesn't help us finish this project, she'll have to answer to the boss. This expression was at first used mainly for replying to legal charges. [c. a.d. 950]

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.

When you talk about removal, what’s the answer to that question?

From Slate • Apr. 15, 2026

The answer to keep feeding the AI beast: upgrade the power grid and incorporate renewable energy sources.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

In other words, the answer to the Colorado River's missing water mystery is not a single cause, but a chain reaction driven by a changing climate.

From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026

Well, that’s the exact answer to the question — what gives?

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

“I feel like Quinby showed me the answer to the puzzle,” I said, sighing.

From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate

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.