respond
Americanverb (used without object)
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to reply or answer in words.
to respond briefly to a question.
- Synonyms:
- rejoin
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to make a return by some action as if in answer.
to respond generously to a charity drive.
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to react favorably.
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Physiology. to exhibit some action or effect as if in answer; react.
Nerves respond to a stimulus.
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to correspond (usually followed byto ).
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Bridge. to make a response.
verb (used with object)
noun
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Architecture. a half pier, pilaster, or the like projecting from a wall as a support for a lintel or an arch, the other side of which is supported on a free-standing pier or column.
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Ecclesiastical.
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a short anthem chanted at intervals during the reading of a lection.
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verb
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to state or utter (something) in reply
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(intr) to act in reply; react
to respond by issuing an invitation
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to react favourably
this patient will respond to treatment
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an archaic word for correspond
noun
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architect a pilaster or an engaged column that supports an arch or a lintel
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Christianity a choral anthem chanted in response to a lesson read at a church service
Other Word Forms
- overrespond verb
- respondence noun
- responder noun
- unresponding adjective
Etymology
Origin of respond
First recorded in 1350–1400; (for the verb) from Latin respondēre “to promise in return, reply, answer,” from re- re- + spondēre “to pledge, promise”; (for the noun) Middle English: “responsory,” from Old French, derivative of respondre “to reply,” from Latin respondēre
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.
But China's Wu, 22, responded in stunning fashion to level the match at 4-4 by reeling off three consecutive frames thanks to a pair of half-centuries and a 122 break.
From BBC
"Civil Defence teams responded immediately and brought the incident under control. No injuries have been reported."
From Barron's
The White House and Defense Department didn’t immediatly respond to a request for comment about Anthropic’s response.
From Barron's
Policymakers also often argue that monetary policy shouldn’t respond to volatile swings in oil—but that approach is easier to defend when inflation is low and expectations are stable.
From Barron's
The act allows the president to carry out a limited military intervention to respond to an urgent situation created by an attack against the United States.
From Barron's
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.
