rejoinder

[ri-join-der]

noun

1. an answer to a reply; response.

   Synonyms: riposte, reply

2. Law.,  a defendant's answer to a plaintiff's replication.

rejoinder

/ rɪˈdʒɔɪndə /

noun

1. a reply or response to a question or remark, esp a quick witty one; retort

2. law (in pleading) the answer made by a defendant to the claimant's reply

Other Word Forms

• nonrejoinder noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of rejoinder¹

1475–85; < Middle French rejoindre (noun use of infinitive); rejoin ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of rejoinder¹

C15: from Old French rejoindre to _rejoin ²

Synonym Study

See answer.

Example Sentences

Burns tried to rectify this but succumbed to sentimentality, as foreign affairs columnist Patrick Lawrence explained in his 2017 rejoinder to the series and, well, my impression of it:

From Salon

Falwell’s rejoinder: “Why don’t you have some murderers and bank robbers and so forth to represent?”

From Salon

The rejoinder is, of course, that everyone who has died and will die because of institutions like UnitedHealthcare were people mourned by their loved ones as well.

From Salon

In a perfect world, its success will be rejoinder enough.

From Los Angeles Times

Quayle’s stricken look — a rictus of shock and humiliation — spoke to the devastation of the rejoinder after which, it’s fair to say, his callow image never fully faded.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• rebuttal 
• repartee 
• retort