| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | answer, reaction |
| Synonyms: | acknowledgment, antiphon, back talk, comeback, counter, double-take, echo, feedback, hit, kickback, knee-jerk reaction, lip, rejoinder, reply, respond, retort, return, reverberation, riposte, sass, snappy comeback, vibes, wisecrack |
| Notes: | reply is generally used when the answer is understood to be verbal - either written or oral; response, by contrast, has a more general application and may be used for a variety of reactions |
| Antonyms: | asking, question, request |
| Main Entry: | action |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | something done |
| Synonyms: | activity, agility, alacrity, alertness, animation, bag*, ballgame, big idea, bit*, business, bustle, commotion, dash, deal, energy, enterprise, flurry, force, functioning, game, going, happening, haste, hoopla*, hopper, in the works, industry, life, liveliness, motion, movement, occupation, operation, plan, power, process, proposition, racket, reaction, response, rush, scene, spirit, stir, stunt, trip, turmoil, vigor, vim, vitality, vivacity |
| Antonyms: | cessation, idleness, inaction, inactivity, inertia, repose, rest, stoppage |
| Main Entry: | answer |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | reply; reaction |
| Synonyms: | acknowledgment, antiphon, back talk, backcap, band-aid, close, comeback, comment, cooler, counterclaim, crack, defense, disclosure, echo, elucidation, explanation, feedback, guff, interpretation, justification, key, lip, observation, parting shot, pay dirt, plea, quick fix, rebuttal, refutation, rejoinder, remark, repartee, report, resolution, response, result, retort, return, rhetorical question, riposte, sign, solution, statement, thank-you note, the ticket, topper, vindication, wisecrack |
| Notes: | an answer is something said, written, or done in return; a reply is an answer that satisfies a detail in a question |
| Antonyms: | question |
| Main Entry: | backlash |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | adverse reaction |
| Synonyms: | backfire, boomerang, counteraction, kickback, reaction, recoil, repercussion, resentment, resistance, response, retaliation, retroaction, tangle |
| Main Entry: | chorus |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | refrain |
| Synonyms: | bob, burden, chorale, main section, melody, motif, music, recurrent verse, response, ritornelle, song, strain, theme, tune, undersong |
| Main Entry: | comeback |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | snappy retort |
| Synonyms: | answer back, quip, rejoinder, repartee, reply, response, retaliation, riposte |
| Main Entry: | defense |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | explanation, justification |
| Synonyms: | answer, apologetics, apologia, apologizing, apology, argument, cleanup, copout, exculpation, excuse, excusing, exoneration, explaining, extenuation, fish story, jive, off-time, plea, rationalization, rejoinder, reply, response, retort, return, song and dance, story, vindication, whitewash |
| Antonyms: | betrayal, capitulation, yielding |
| Main Entry: | effect |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | result |
| Synonyms: | aftereffect, aftermath, backlash, backwash, can of worms, causatum, chain reaction, conclusion, consequence, corollary, denouement, development, end, end product, event, eventuality, fallout, flak, follow through, follow-up, fruit, issue, outcome, outgrowth, precipitate, pursuance, ramification, reaction, reflex, repercussion, response, sequel, sequence, side effect, spin-off, upshot, waves |
| Notes: | as a noun, affect means 'a feeling or emotion,' whereas effect means 'the result or consequence of some action or process'; as a verb, to affect means 'to exert an influence upon,' and implies the action of a stimulus that can produce a response or reaction, whereas to effect means 'to bring about as a result' effect is a noun referring to a thing, but if you mean an action, that is affect; if you want the verb meaning 'achieve, bring about,' that is effect |
| Antonyms: | beginning, cause, commencement, foundation, origin, source, start |
| Main Entry: | efficiency |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | adeptness, effectiveness |
| Synonyms: | ability, abundance, adaptability, address, adequacy, capability, capableness, competence, competency, completeness, economy, effectualness, efficacy, energy, expertise, facility, faculty, know-how, performance, potency, power, powerfulness, productiveness, productivity, proficiency, prowess, quantity, readiness, resourcefulness, response, skill, skillfulness, suitability, suitableness, talent, thoroughness |
| Notes: | competence is a measure of the ability to perform a task; efficiency is a measure of the success achieved in the performance of a task |
| Antonyms: | helplessness, impotence, inability, incompetence, ineffectiveness, inefficiency, weakness |