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Definitions

response

[ri-spons] / rɪˈspɒns /
NOUN
answer, reaction
Synonyms
STRONGEST
feedback reply return
STRONG
acknowledgment antiphon comeback counter echo hit kickback lip rejoinder retort reverberation riposte sass vibes wisecrack
WEAK
back talk double-take knee-jerk reaction respond snappy comeback
Antonyms
STRONGEST
question request
STRONG
failure
WEAK
asking

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.

Its prospects seemed dim amid the president’s threats and a lukewarm response from Iranian leaders, who dismissed the president’s diplomatic overtures as “unrealistic” and denying direct talks with the United States.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

"The average time of response has been a day or so."

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

He also attributed the tepid response in oil prices to an expectation of “a last-minute postponement, maybe not a deal, but a postponement allowing the two sides to continue talking.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

Noelia Castillo Ramos’s death wasn’t an exercise of freedom but a desperate response to its erosion.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

To make matters worse, phone lines that should have allowed the emergency response team to communicate with the operators in the control rooms were down.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.