response

[ ri-spons ]

noun

1. an answer or reply, as in words or in some action.

   Synonyms: rejoinder

2. Biology. any behavior of a living organism that results from an external or internal stimulus.
3. Ecclesiastical.
   1. a verse, sentence, phrase, or word said or sung by the choir or congregation in reply to the officiant. Compare versicle ( def 2 ).
   2. responsory.
4. Bridge. a bid based on an evaluation of one's hand relative to the previous bid of one's partner.

response

/ rɪˈspɒns /

noun

1. the act of responding; reply or reaction
2. bridge a bid replying to a partner's bid or double
3. 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
4. electronics the ratio of the output to the input level, at a particular frequency, of a transmission line or electrical device
5. any pattern of glandular, muscular, or electrical reactions that arises from stimulation of the nervous system

response

/ rĭ-spŏns′ /

1. A reaction, as that of an organism or any of its parts, to a specific stimulus.
2. See more at classical conditioning

Derived Forms

• reˈsponseless, adjective

Other Words From

• re·sponseless adjective
• counter·re·sponse noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of response¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of response¹

C14: from Latin rēsponsum answer, from rēspondēre to respond

Synonym Study

See answer.

Example Sentences

But his most robust interventions in Lords debates involved attacking the government's response to the phone-hacking scandal.

From BBC

In response, Google said that with its proposals, the DOJ "chose to push a radical interventionist agenda that would harm Americans and America’s global technology leadership."

From BBC

His most robust interventions in Lords debates involved attacking the government's response to the phone-hacking scandal.

From BBC

These specific changes are not known to be present in other forms of trauma, like poverty or bullying, suggesting that war may trigger unique biological responses in the body.

From Science Daily

A group representing the interests of tech companies such as Meta, Snapchat and X in Australia has dismissed the ban as “a 20th Century response to 21st Century challenges”.

From BBC

Related Words

• feedback
• reply
• return