react

[ ree-akt ]
See synonyms for: reactre-actedre-acting on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)
  1. to act in response to an agent or influence: How did the audience react to the speech?

  2. to act reciprocally upon each other, as two things.

  1. to act in a reverse direction or manner, especially so as to return to a prior condition.

  2. to act in opposition, as against some force.

  3. to respond to a stimulus in a particular manner: reacting to a shock by jumping; to react to the word “coward” with anger.

  4. to undergo a chemical reaction.

Origin of react

1
First recorded in 1635–45; re- + act, probably modeled on Medieval Latin reagere

Words Nearby react

Other definitions for re-act (2 of 2)

re-act
[ ree-akt ]

verb (used with object)
  1. to act or perform again.

Origin of re-act

2
First recorded in 1650–60; re- + act

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use react in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for react (1 of 2)

react

/ (rɪˈækt) /


verb
  1. (intr ; foll by to, upon etc) (of a person or thing) to act in response to another person, a stimulus, etc, or (of two people or things) to act together in a certain way

  2. (intr foll by against) to act in an opposing or contrary manner

  1. (intr) physics to exert an equal force in the opposite direction to an acting force

  2. chem to undergo or cause to undergo a chemical reaction

Origin of react

1
C17: from Late Latin reagere, from re- + Latin agere to drive, do

British Dictionary definitions for re-act (2 of 2)

re-act

/ (riːˈækt) /


verb
  1. (tr) to act or perform again

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012