reply
Americanverb (used without object)
-
replies,
present (3rd person singular)
-
replied,
past participle, past
-
replying
present participle
-
to make answer in words or writing; answer; respond.
to reply to a question.
- Synonyms:
- rejoin
-
to respond by some action, performance, etc..
to reply to the enemy's fire.
-
to return a sound; echo; resound.
-
Law. to answer a defendant's plea.
verb (used with object)
-
replies,
present (3rd person singular)
-
replied,
past participle, past
-
replying
present participle
verb
-
to make answer (to) in words or writing or by an action; respond
he replied with an unexpected move
-
(tr; takes a clause as object) to say (something) in answer
he replied that he didn't want to come
-
law to answer a defendant's plea
-
to return (a sound); echo
noun
-
an answer made in words or writing or through an action; response
-
the answer made by a plaintiff or petitioner to a defendant's case
Synonym Usage
See answer.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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replysimple
-
repliessimple
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have repliedperfect
-
has repliedperfect
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am replyingprogressive
-
are replyingprogressive
-
is replyingprogressive
-
have been replyingperfect progressive
-
has been replyingperfect progressive
Past
-
repliedsimple
-
had repliedperfect
-
was replyingprogressive
-
were replyingprogressive
-
had been replyingperfect progressive
Future
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.
See Examples For:
OpenCode representatives didn’t reply to messages seeking comment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026
The office of Israel’s prime minister didn’t reply to a request for comment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
With the floodlights on and skies dark, conditions were perfect for seam bowling when Australia's reply began.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
He did not reply to an email requesting comment.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
A crafty reply occurred to me: “In the Frisian clock on the stairwell!”
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
“It is not a scam device,” Holmes replies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
“What’s the difference,” he replies, with impeccable noir-antihero resignation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
“That was unintended,” he replies, only digging himself in deeper when he explains that, like plumbers or electricians, he was there to do a job.
From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2026
Another function is improving how companies show up in chatbot replies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
“We can wait,” Ramona replies, also with a smile.
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
No. “Then,” he replied, “I don’t need them.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
Asked if Melania could participate in trilateral Ukraine-Russia-US peace talks that the Kremlin says will resume in Abu Dhabi next month, Trump replied: "No, but it's not the worst idea I've ever heard."
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
“Sir, we’re going to ask you to be respectful,” Ramaswamy replied.
From Slate ● Oct. 23, 2026
Czarniak replied: “Almost too much to bear, Al.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
“You made your reparations,” Sarah R. replied, nodding to the arm he’d used to shield her.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
I realized that replying to complicated requests or problems in anger or haste was never smart, so I kept his rule to slow my response time down eight hours for future correspondence.
From Slate ● Sep. 27, 2026
Let me know how they handled any downgrade by replying to this email or emailing me at [email protected].
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
She has since stopped replying to messages from AFP.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
Timothée Chalamet's collab with EsDeeKid went viral, with British rapper Central Cee replying "Naaa"
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Again Lyra had to wonder what she meant before replying.
From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
