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response

[ri-spons] / rɪˈspɒns /


Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for response?
A response is a reply or an answer—something said or done after someone else has said or done something. Like response, reply and answer can be used in the context of verbal responses (such as in speech or writing) as well as actions. The word acknowledgement refers to a response that simply acknowledges an initial message or action (as opposed to one that consists of new information or an action on the part of the one responding). Some responses come in the form of feedback. A reply to a comment—especially a quick and witty reply—is sometimes called a comeback, retort, rejoinder, or riposte. A response to an invitation is popularly called an RSVP, an abbreviation of the French phrase répondez s'il vous plaît, meaning “please respond.” In military and sports contexts, the word response is sometimes used as a general way of referring to a counterattack or counterstroke.
What is a more formal word for response?
Response is perhaps slightly more formal than its synonyms answer and reply, but there isn’t a more formal word that is commonly used. The more formal word rejoinder is sometimes used in specific legal contexts. A formal (as in an official) response is sometimes called a formal reply or an official reply.
What is the opposite (antonym) of response?
The opposite of a response is a nonresponse—when someone doesn’t reply or answer at all. The term lack of response is often used. In another sense, the opposite of a response could be thought of as the initial question, statement, comment, email, etc.—since this is what the response responds to.
Is it responce or response?
Response is spelled with an s, which you can also see in the related words responsive, responsible, and responsibility.

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.

See Examples For:

The bipartisan Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act would move Medicare Advantage prior authorizations to an electronic system and require quicker response times and greater transparency from insurers.

From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2026

The BBC sought comment from Bechi, his mother and the Shiddiqiyyah boarding school as part of its investigation but received no response.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

This temporary suppression gives immune cells time to multiply during an immune response.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

They see police as offering a crucial deterrent and emergency response force to threats from outside a campus.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

I erase my response and tear a piece of paper from my binder.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

It has a survey open which has received 70 responses and identified 16 different UK airports where people have reported negative stoma-related incidents.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

A group of experts reviewed the chatbot’s responses.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

The company said that closed models—where developers keep the source code, training data, and underlying model weights hidden—could pose security risks for users because they sometimes block responses to useful cyberdefense requests.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

Famous for their rapid responses, the 3,000 members of Zaka are often the first to arrive on the scene of attacks or serious accidents and are trained to help survivors before tending to the dead.

From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026

Bobby, now so focused that he could hardly hear the growing murmur from the crowd, made his next moves percussively, shooting them out like poison darts, hardly waiting for Byrne’s responses.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady




Vocabulary lists containing response


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