response

response — noun

1. something that you say, write, or do in order to answer a question, letter, requ

1.nounA2
Definition

something that you say, write, or do in order to answer a question, letter, request, invitation, or greeting. Response to something can be a simple word, a written message, or an action showing that you have received and understood it.

Example

Tariq sent his response to the job advertisement the same evening.

response + to + noun phrase (specifying what is being answered)

The librarian left a message for the director but received no response by Friday.

Common collocations
  • written response
  • verbal response
  • direct response
  • response letter
  • response time
  • receive a response
  • send a response
  • await a response
Synonyms
  • answer

    more common in everyday spoken English; less formal than 'response'

  • reply

    similar formality to 'response'; often used for written communication such as letters or emails

  • rejoinder

    formal or literary; typically refers to a quick or clever reply in a discussion or debate

Antonyms
  • silence

    the absence of any response, often implying refusal or inability to answer

  • question

    the stimulus that prompts a response, not the response itself

Grammar Patterns

response + to + noun phrase

in response to + noun phrase

no response (uncountable)

Usage Note

Common with the preposition 'to' to introduce what is being answered. The fixed phrase 'in response to' is widely used in formal and professional writing to introduce the reason for an action or statement.

Common Mistakes

Please give me a response for my question.
Please give me a response to my question.
the correct preposition after 'response' when indicating what is being answered is 'to', not 'for'.
I am waiting for a response of your email.
I am waiting for a response to your email.
use 'to' to connect 'response' with the thing being replied to.

2. a feeling, action, or change that happens as a result of a situation, event, exp

2.nounA2
Definition

a feeling, action, or change that happens as a result of a situation, event, experience, or piece of news. A response may be emotional (such as joy or fear), physical (such as running away), or organisational (such as an official statement or policy change).

Example

The emergency team's quick response saved several lives after the earthquake.

quick response (common collocation in emergency and crisis contexts)

Megan's immediate response to the sad news was to hug her friend tightly.

immediate response + to + event (typical pattern)

Common collocations
  • emotional response
  • immediate response
  • positive response
  • negative response
  • public response
  • emergency response
  • natural response
Synonyms
  • reaction

    more general than 'response'; can include unconscious or automatic physical reactions; slightly less formal

  • feedback

    opinions or comments about a product, service, or performance; usually involves evaluation rather than just reaction

  • outcome

    focuses on the result rather than the act of responding; 'response' emphasises the connection between cause and action

Antonyms
  • cause

    the event or situation that triggers a response, not the response itself

  • inaction

    the deliberate choice not to respond at all

Grammar Patterns

response + to + event/noun phrase

adjective + response (e.g. immediate, emotional, positive)

in response to + event/noun phrase

Usage Note

The subject is often an organisation, system, group, or the public rather than a single individual. Frequently used in news reporting, emergency services, and crisis management contexts. When referring to an individual's physical reflexes, 'reaction' is more precise than 'response'.

Common Mistakes

His quick response caught the falling cup before it hit the floor.
His quick reaction caught the falling cup before it hit the floor.
use 'reaction' for automatic physical reflexes; 'response' is better for conscious or deliberate actions.
The government's response of the crisis was slow.
The government's response to the crisis was slow.
always use 'to', never 'of', after 'response'.

3. a word, phrase, or piece of music that the people in a church or congregation sa

3.nounC1
Definition

a word, phrase, or piece of music that the people in a church or congregation say or sing as an answer to the part given by the priest, minister, or choir during a worship service.

Example

The congregation's response echoed through the old stone church during the Sunday service.

Christopher learned all the sung responses by heart for the Easter ceremony.

sung responses (fixed term in Christian liturgy)

Common collocations
  • sung responses
  • spoken responses
  • congregational response
Synonyms
  • answer

    the general English word; 'response' is the specific liturgical term for this context

  • versicle

    technically the part spoken by the priest, not the congregation's reply

Grammar Patterns

the + response/responses + (of the congregation/choir)

sung responses

spoken responses

Usage Note

Typically appears in the plural form 'responses' when referring to the repeated parts of a service. Not used outside religious or historical descriptions of liturgy. The terms 'responsorial psalm' and 'responsory' are related but refer to specific musical forms.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to something said or done after something else, but they differ in scope and formality. 'Answer' is the most general and everyday term — you answer a question, a phone call, or a knock at the door. 'Reply' is slightly more formal and is often used for written communication such as letters, emails, or formal invitations. 'Reaction' is broader: it covers emotional, physical, or automatic responses to any situation or stimulus, not just to questions or messages. 'Response' overlaps with both 'answer' and 'reaction' but carries a slightly more deliberate and structured tone — it is commonly used in professional, academic, and emergency contexts. For example: 'She gave a quick answer when the teacher asked her name'; 'The company issued a formal reply to the investor's letter'; 'His reaction to the spicy food was to reach for a glass of water'; 'The hospital's response to the outbreak was praised by the health authority.'

answer ↗reply ↗reaction ↗response ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in response to
  • as a response
  • by way of response
  • in response

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'response' entered English in the 1300s through Old French 'response', from Latin 'responsum' (an answer, a reply), which was the neuter past participle of 'respondere' — meaning 'to answer back'. The Latin word is formed from 're-' (again, back) and 'spondere' (to pledge, to promise). This explains why 'response' carries a sense of deliberate, committed answering — it originally implied a return promise or formal reply, not just any reaction.