answer

1.nounA1

Definition

the words or actions someone gives back after being asked a question, sent a letter, or called on the phone.

Example

Theo waited two weeks for an answer to her job application.

answer to + noun phrase

When the teacher asked who broke the window, no one gave an answer.

give an answer

Common collocations

a clear answer
a straight answer
no answer
a written answer

Synonyms

reply
near-synonym; slightly more formal in writing
response
more formal; covers any reaction, not only words
retort
a quick, often sharp or angry reply

Antonyms

question
what an answer responds to

Grammar Patterns

answer to + noun

give an answer

Usage Note

Used for both spoken replies and written responses, including answers on tests and exam papers. Typically takes the preposition 'to' before the question or letter being answered.

Common Mistakes

I gave him an answer for his question.

I gave him an answer to his question.

use 'to', not 'for', after 'answer'.

2.nounB1

Definition

a way of dealing with a problem or difficult situation so that the trouble goes away — for example, a new policy that ends traffic jams, or a method that fixes a broken machine.

Example

Building more bike lanes is one answer to the city's traffic problem.

answer to + problem

Mr. Kim told the staff there was no easy answer to the noisy classroom problem.

no easy answer

Common collocations

the answer to a problem
no easy answer
a simple answer
the only answer

Synonyms

solution
more formal; common in technical or academic writing
remedy
suggests fixing something harmful or unhealthy
fix
informal; often a quick or temporary solution

Antonyms

problem
the thing the answer is meant to solve

Grammar Patterns

answer to + problem

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: a 'solution' answer fixes a problem, while a sense-1 answer simply replies to a question or letter. Often appears with 'easy', 'simple', 'real', or 'only' before it.

Common Mistakes

We need an answer for this problem.

We need an answer to this problem.

'answer' takes 'to' before the problem, not 'for'.

Idioms

have/know all the answers

idiom

To act as if you know everything about a subject, often when you do not.

Maya thinks she knows all the answers about starting a business.

Do you really have all the answers, or are you guessing?

not take no for an answer

idiom

To refuse to accept someone's refusal or rejection of something.

Brian insisted on driving me home and would not take no for an answer.

When Diego offered to help, he wouldn't take no for an answer.

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveA1

Definition

to give somebody words back — spoken, written, or signalled — after they have asked you a question, sent you a letter, or spoken to you.

Example

Yusuf answered every question in the math test correctly.

answer + question (transitive)

I asked him three times, but he didn't answer.

intransitive use

Common collocations

answer a question
answer honestly
answer politely
answer in writing

Synonyms

reply
needs 'to' before the object (reply to a letter)
respond
more formal; can include actions, not only words
retort
a quick or sharp spoken reply

Antonyms

ask
to put a question rather than reply to one
ignore
to give no reply at all

Grammar Patterns

answer + question

answer + that-clause

answer + direct speech

Usage Note

Object can be the question, the person, or the letter/message — all are correct ('answer the question', 'answer me', 'answer the letter'). Distinguish from sense 2: replying with words versus opening a door or picking up a ringing phone.

Common Mistakes

She answered to my question.

She answered my question.

the verb is transitive; do not insert 'to' before the question.

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveA2

Definition

to pick up a ringing phone so that you can speak, or to open the front door when somebody knocks or rings the bell.

Example

Could you answer the phone? My hands are covered in flour.

answer the phone

Yusuf ran downstairs to answer the door before his sister woke up.

answer the door

Common collocations

answer the phone
answer the door
answer the bell
answer a call

Synonyms

pick up
informal; used with phones, not doors
get
very informal: 'I'll get the door / phone'

Antonyms

ignore
to deliberately not answer the phone or door

Grammar Patterns

answer the phone / door / bell

Usage Note

Object is almost always 'the phone', 'the door', or 'the bell' — not the person calling or knocking. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about responding physically (lifting the receiver, opening the door), not giving a verbal reply.

Common Mistakes

I answered to the door.

I answered the door.

no 'to' between 'answer' and 'the door' or 'the phone'.

3.verbintransitiveB2

Definition

to be known by a particular name, especially the name a pet or person responds to when called.

Example

Our neighbor's golden retriever answers to the name Biscuit.

answer to the name + name

The grey kitten answers to Mochi but ignores any other word.

answers to + name

Common collocations

answer to the name of
answer to a nickname

Synonyms

go by
informal; often used for nicknames
be called
neutral; broader and more common

Grammar Patterns

answer to the name (of) + name

Usage Note

Almost always used in the structure 'answer to the name (of) X', and most often about pets, nicknames, or stage names rather than legal names. Do not confuse with the phrasal verb 'answer to' (= report to a boss); see the 'answer to' entry below.

Common Mistakes

My dog answers the name Buddy.

My dog answers to the name Buddy.

this sense always needs 'to'.

4.verbtransitiveC1

Definition

to be good enough or right for what somebody wants — for example, a small van that does the work of a big truck, or a cheap room that meets all of a traveller's basic needs.

Example

For a weekend in the mountains, an old tent answered our needs perfectly.

answer + needs

The little library answered every purpose the village had hoped for.

answer + purpose

Common collocations

answer a need
answer the purpose
answer requirements

Synonyms

meet
neutral and common ('meet the needs')
satisfy
slightly more formal; emphasises full sufficiency
fulfil
formal; common with 'requirements' and 'purpose'

Antonyms

fail
to not be enough for what is needed

Grammar Patterns

answer + a need / purpose / requirement

Usage Note

Formal and somewhat literary; in everyday speech 'meet (the needs)', 'be enough', or 'do the job' are far more common. Object is almost always an abstract noun: 'needs', 'purpose', 'description', 'requirements'.

Common Mistakes

This room answers for our needs.

This room answers our needs.

no preposition; this sense is transitive.

5.verbtransitive / intransitiveC1

Definition

to look like, or have the same features as, somebody (or something) that has just been described — often used by police searching for a suspect or a missing person.

Example

A man answering the description of the thief was seen near the train station.

answer (the) description (transitive)

The lost dog answers to the description Mrs. Park gave the shelter staff.

answer to + description

Common collocations

answer the description
answer to the description

Synonyms

match
neutral and more common in everyday speech
fit
very common; 'fit the description' is the most natural choice
correspond to
formal; used in technical or written contexts

Antonyms

differ from
to not match the description given

Grammar Patterns

answer (to) + a description

Usage Note

Both 'answer the description' and 'answer to the description' are correct; 'answer to' is a little more formal and common in police or news reports. The object is almost always 'description' or a similar noun like 'profile'.

Common Mistakes

A man answered with the description of the suspect.

A man answered (to) the description of the suspect.

use 'to' or no preposition; never 'with'.

Phrasal verbs

answer back

phrasal verb

to reply rudely to somebody in authority, such as a parent, teacher, or boss, when you should stay quiet or accept what they say.

Don't answer back to your grandmother — apologise and finish your homework.

Yusuf was sent out of class for answering back to the substitute teacher.

answer for

phrasal verb

to be punished or held responsible for something bad that you have done, or for the actions of somebody you are in charge of.

The manager will have to answer for the missing money at the meeting tomorrow.

One day these politicians will answer for the damage they caused to the river.

answer to

phrasal verb

to have somebody as your boss or supervisor, so that you must explain and justify your work to that person.

As a junior nurse, Tomás answers to the head of the ward every morning.

In this small company, every team leader answers directly to the owner.

Word family

answerable
adjectiveC2
unanswered
adjectiveB2
unanswerable
adjectiveC2
answering machine
nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four verbs describe saying or writing something back to someone, but they differ in tone and grammar. 'Answer' is the most everyday choice and is directly transitive: you 'answer a question', 'answer your mother', or 'answer the email'. 'Reply' is slightly more formal in writing and almost always needs 'to' before the object: 'reply to a letter', 'reply to the boss'. 'Respond' is more formal still and often suggests a reaction that includes actions, not only words — a company 'responds' to a complaint by issuing a refund. 'Retort' is narrow and emotional: it means to fire back a quick, often sharp or annoyed remark. So a child might 'answer' a teacher politely, 'reply' to a school letter in writing, while an angry suspect might 'retort' that the police were wrong.

answer ↗reply ↗respond ↗retort

Common collocations

Nouns

answer the phone
answer the door
answer a question
answer an email
answer the description

Adverbs

answer honestly
answer politely
answer truthfully
answer immediately
answer briefly

Phrases

the right answer
no easy answer
give a straight answer
in answer to your letter
have all the answers

Prepositions

answer to (a name / boss)
answer for (one's actions)
an answer to (a question / problem)

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

The word 'answer' goes back to Old English 'andswaru', built from 'and-' meaning 'against' and a root related to 'swear'. The original idea was a sworn statement made in response to a charge in court. Over time the legal sense weakened and 'answer' came to mean any kind of reply — first to questions and accusations, then later to letters, doors, phones, and finally problems and needs. The verb and noun forms have walked together in English for more than a thousand years.

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answer

answer — noun

1. the words or actions someone gives back after being asked a question, sent a let

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. a way of dealing with a problem or difficult situation so that the trouble goes

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

have/know all the answers

not take no for an answer

answer — verb

1. to give somebody words back — spoken, written, or signalled — after they have as

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. to pick up a ringing phone so that you can speak, or to open the front door when

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

3. to be known by a particular name, especially the name a pet or person responds t

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

4. to be good enough or right for what somebody wants — for example, a small van th

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

5. to look like, or have the same features as, somebody (or something) that has jus

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

answer back

answer for

answer to

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

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