response
noun
re·sponse
ri-ˈspän(t)s 
1
: an act of responding
2
: something constituting a reply or a reaction: such as
a
: a verse, phrase, or word sung or said by the people or choir after or in reply to the officiant in a liturgical service
b
: the activity or inhibition of previous activity of an organism or any of its parts resulting from stimulation
c
: the output of a transducer or detecting device resulting from a given input
Examples of response in a Sentence
He got a response to his letter.
I am writing in response to your letter of July 17.
When I told him my plan, I wasn't expecting such an enthusiastic response.
Her response to their decision was to threaten to quit her job.
When you knocked on the door, was there any response?
Recent Examples on the Web
When Major goes on a tirade in response, smashing some of his late father’s most treasured items, Summer lashes out and says some harsh words.
—
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2024
Candidates will have two-minute answers to questions, two-minute rebuttals, and one extra minute for follow-ups, clarifications, or responses.
—Sarah Beth Hensley, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2024
Throughout the graphic novel, Tardi weaves political events—the French government’s brutal response to the war of liberation in Algeria, the student and worker uprisings—in with reflections on Grange’s youth.
—Dominique Grange, The New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2024
In the past, such moves would have provoked a swift and hard response from the U.S.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for response 
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2024
Candidates will have two-minute answers to questions, two-minute rebuttals, and one extra minute for follow-ups, clarifications, or responses.
—Sarah Beth Hensley, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2024
Throughout the graphic novel, Tardi weaves political events—the French government’s brutal response to the war of liberation in Algeria, the student and worker uprisings—in with reflections on Grange’s youth.
—Dominique Grange, The New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2024
In the past, such moves would have provoked a swift and hard response from the U.S.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for response
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'response.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near response
Cite this Entry
“Response.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/response. Accessed 12 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
response
noun
re·sponse
ri-ˈspän(t)s
1
: an act or instance of replying : answer
2
: words said or sung by the people or choir in a religious service
3
: a reaction of a living thing to a stimulus
Medical Definition
response
noun
re·sponse
ri-ˈspän(t)s
: the activity or inhibition of previous activity of an organism or any of its parts resulting from stimulation
a conditioned response
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