response
Americannoun
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an answer or reply, as in words or in some action.
- Synonyms:
- rejoinder
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Biology. any behavior of a living organism that results from an external or internal stimulus.
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Ecclesiastical.
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a verse, sentence, phrase, or word said or sung by the choir or congregation in reply to the officiant.
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Bridge. a bid based on an evaluation of one's hand relative to the previous bid of one's partner.
noun
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the act of responding; reply or reaction
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bridge a bid replying to a partner's bid or double
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(usually plural) Christianity a short sentence or phrase recited or sung by the choir or congregation in reply to the officiant at a church service
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electronics the ratio of the output to the input level, at a particular frequency, of a transmission line or electrical device
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any pattern of glandular, muscular, or electrical reactions that arises from stimulation of the nervous system
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A reaction, as that of an organism or any of its parts, to a specific stimulus.
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See more at classical conditioning
Related Words
See answer.
Other Word Forms
- counterresponse noun
- responseless adjective
Etymology
Origin of response
First recorded in 1250–1300; from Latin respōnsum, noun use of neuter past participle of respondēre “to reply, answer”; replacing Middle English respounse, from Middle French respons, from Latin, as above; respond
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.
This one-sided empathy is not a spontaneous response to compelling facts, however.
From Slate • Apr. 3, 2026
In response to the war, Aurigny last month introduced a temporary £2 fuel surcharge on new bookings, saying that the islands were "not immune from the realities presented by the global travel ecosystem".
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
“My initial response was just I need to get him away, and I need to see if he’s OK.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
“Their response made us feel like we couldn’t accept the money.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
Tiamat's response felt like a frown inside his head.
From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville
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.
