reply
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to make answer in words or writing; answer; respond.
to reply to a question.
- Synonyms:
- rejoin
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to respond by some action, performance, etc..
to reply to the enemy's fire.
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to return a sound; echo; resound.
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Law. to answer a defendant's plea.
verb (used with object)
verb
-
to make answer (to) in words or writing or by an action; respond
he replied with an unexpected move
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(tr; takes a clause as object) to say (something) in answer
he replied that he didn't want to come
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law to answer a defendant's plea
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to return (a sound); echo
noun
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an answer made in words or writing or through an action; response
-
the answer made by a plaintiff or petitioner to a defendant's case
Related Words
See answer.
Other Word Forms
- replier noun
- unreplied adjective
- unreplying adjective
Etymology
Origin of reply
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English replien (verb), from Middle French replier “to fold back, reply,” from Latin replicāre “to unroll, fold back”; replicate
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.
Driven by what he describes as his "Islamic values" and the teachings instilled in him by his parents, Shah replied to some of the people who had sent him abusive comments.
From BBC
Pakistan needed to restrict Sri Lanka to 147 runs or fewer in their reply to ensure their net run-rate was better than New Zealand's in Group 2.
From BBC
To this, Piggy tartly replies, “My attorneys and I have taken notice. We will be in touch.”
From Salon
"To be honest, I don't really know what type of criticism people are talking about, but since I've been here - and I've been here during Ramadan - it's been all right for me," he replied.
From BBC
Epstein mostly fires back terse, business-like, poorly punctuated replies - if any.
From BBC
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.
