react
Americanverb (used without object)
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to act in response to an agent or influence.
How did the audience react to the speech?
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to act reciprocally upon each other, as two things.
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to act in a reverse direction or manner, especially so as to return to a prior condition.
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to act in opposition, as against some force.
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to respond to a stimulus in a particular manner.
reacting to a shock by jumping; to react to the word “coward” with anger.
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to undergo a chemical reaction.
verb
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(intr; foll by to, upon etc) (of a person or thing) to act in response to another person, a stimulus, etc, or (of two people or things) to act together in a certain way
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to act in an opposing or contrary manner
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(intr) physics to exert an equal force in the opposite direction to an acting force
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chem to undergo or cause to undergo a chemical reaction
Etymology
Origin of react
First recorded in 1635–45; re- + act, probably modeled on Medieval Latin reagere
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.
But they reacted to England's surge with their third try of the half in the 27th minute.
From Barron's
Why do we keep reacting the same way to artists who challenge conventions?
From Los Angeles Times
The suit alleged that Sam and his co-pilot had made critical errors that contributed to the crash, including failing to react to a traffic warning and failing to see and avoid the helicopter.
You know who you were in those moments, how you reacted, how you behaved, how you’ve adjusted.
From Los Angeles Times
“The market is certainly reacting in a way that suggests that entire industries are going to be worth much less money than they are today,” said Scott Ladner, chief investment officer at Horizon Investments.”
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
