Response
/rɪˈspɒns/
Definitions
2 meaningsA reaction or reply to something.
/rɪˈspɒns/
An answer or reaction.
The audience gave a standing response to the performance.
💡 Simply: Imagine someone asks you a question. Your response is what you say back! It's your answer or reaction to something.
👶 For kids: It's what you say or do when someone says something to you or something happens.
More Examples
We await your response to our offer.
Her response to his joke was a burst of laughter.
How It's Used
"The email requested a response within 24 hours."
"The government's response to the crisis was criticized."
A change or effect caused by something.
/rɪˈspɒns/
Something done as a reaction.
The plants showed a positive response to the fertilizer.
💡 Simply: When something happens, a response is how something else changes because of it. Like, if you push a ball, the ball's response is it moves.
👶 For kids: How something changes after something else happens.
More Examples
The team's response to the challenge was impressive.
The market's response to the new product was overwhelmingly positive.
How It's Used
"The patient showed a positive response to the medication."
"The system's response time was improved."
Synonyms
Acknowledgment
Answer
Reaction
Reply
Consequence
Effect
Outcome
Idioms & expressions
in response to
As a reaction or answer to something.
"The company issued a statement in response to the criticism."
a knee-jerk response
An immediate and instinctive reaction, often without much thought.
"The politician's knee-jerk response to the scandal was to deny everything."
From Middle French *response*, from Latin *responsum* 'answer', past participle of *respondēre* 'to respond'.
The word 'response' has been used since the 14th century, evolving from its religious origins in liturgical responses.
Memory tip
Think of it as how you react to a stimulus or a question.