react

re·act

verb \rē-ˈakt\

Definition of REACT

intransitive verb

1

: to exert a reciprocal or counteracting force or influence —often used with on or upon

2

: to change in response to a stimulus

3

: to act in opposition to a force or influence —usually used with against

4

: to move or tend in a reverse direction

5

: to undergo chemical reaction

transitive verb

: to cause to react

Examples of REACT

1. When I told her what happened, she reacted with anger.
2. I didn't expect him to react that way.
3. The firefighters reacted quickly when they heard the alarm.
4. He reacted badly to the drug.

Origin of REACT

New Latin reactus, past participle of reagere, from Latin re- + agere to act — more at agent

First Known Use: 1644

Related to REACT

Synonyms: reply, respond

Related Words: answer, return; retaliate; construe, interpret, read, take, understand; contend (with), cope (with), grapple (with), handle, manage, negotiate

Near Antonyms: act, behave; affect, cause, draw, effect

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Rhymes with REACT

abstract, attract, class act, compact, contact, contract, crookbacked, detract, didact, diffract, distract, enact, entr'acte, epact, exact, extract, humpbacked, hunchbacked, impact, infract, intact, mossbacked, playact, protract, redact, refract, retract, sex act, subtract, swaybacked, transact, unbacked