respond
Americanverb (used without object)
-
responds,
present (3rd person singular)
-
responded,
past participle, past
-
responding
present participle
-
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)
-
responds,
present (3rd person singular)
-
responded,
past participle, past
-
responding
present participle
noun
-
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
-
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
-
has been respondingperfect progressive
Past
-
respondedsimple
-
had respondedperfect
-
was respondingprogressive
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were respondingprogressive
-
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:
The Delhi Police did not respond to questions about the use of violence against protesters.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
A government spokesperson did not immediately respond to request for comment on the PTI provincial leader detentions.
From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2026
Attorneys general offices for the remaining six states did not respond to requests for comment.
From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026
The team extended the experiments to additional groups of mice, including animals with type 2 diabetes and others that lacked the receptor needed to respond to GLP-1.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026
The huge pale mushroom—which lived smack in the middle of the garden— did not respond.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
"I am eternally grateful that I got these jobs," he responds.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
Perhaps a new type of conservatism will emerge that reflects and responds to the complexity and tensions of modern life.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
McVay said once the record-setting pass rusher is “hitting all the benchmarks,” the Rams will monitor how his knee responds to football-related activities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026
Unlike Alice, Bryan is the audience stand-in: the average guy who responds to a mind-boggling, impossible situation as clumsily as you or I might.
From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026
The old man responds, “Well then, bienvenidas, welcome, niñas. It’s been a while since we’ve had any visitors here in the countryside.”
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
County Fire and Angeles National Forest crews responded to the blaze.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026
“I love Jackson Hole. I like Park City. I like the mountains. I also like beaches,” Paxton responded.
From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026
When his dad later criticized this, Bernstein says he responded by blocking his father.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
It did not say how Trump responded, nor elaborate on Iran's position.
From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2026
“She is safe,” the wolf responded as he sat back on his haunches, his eyes twinkling.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
To understand how Ukraine is responding, last month I visited an air-defense center protecting Kyiv, one of several such hubs nationwide.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
Its employees are famous for responding to customers with the relentlessly chipper “My pleasure!”
From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026
“Independent voters,” he said, “are going to be responding to those candidates and parties that actually talk to them.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026
Researchers found that changes in tumor DNA in the bloodstream closely reflected how well patients were responding.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026
But responding to Reynie’s involuntary answer, the Whisperer said, Don't worry, you are not alone.
From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart
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.
