reacted; reacting; reacts
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
: to cause to react
Examples of react in a Sentence
When I told her what happened, she reacted with anger.
I didn't expect him to react that way.
The firefighters reacted quickly when they heard the alarm.
He reacted badly to the drug.
Recent Examples on the Web
Tobias said those decisions likely reflect judges sticking closely to the statute and reacting to how the administration has handled past appointments.
—
Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 22 Mar. 2026
And how does your mom react to the scene?
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
While there is already scrambling in the diesel market, and diesel prices have reacted even more violently as compared to crude and even gasoline to the upside, the market is still relatively well supplied for the short-term.
—Eric Rosenbaum, CNBC, 22 Mar. 2026
Regimes react because music, particularly in moments of repression, becomes a power multiplier.
—Christina Hioureas, Rolling Stone, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for react
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Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 22 Mar. 2026
And how does your mom react to the scene?
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
While there is already scrambling in the diesel market, and diesel prices have reacted even more violently as compared to crude and even gasoline to the upside, the market is still relatively well supplied for the short-term.
—Eric Rosenbaum, CNBC, 22 Mar. 2026
Regimes react because music, particularly in moments of repression, becomes a power multiplier.
—Christina Hioureas, Rolling Stone, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for react
Cite this Entry
“React.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/react. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
react
verb
re·act
rē-ˈakt 
1
: to act or behave in response (as to stimulation or an influence)
the colonists reacted to the tax by boycotting tea
2
: to oppose a force or influence
—usually used with against
reacted against their unfair treatment
3
: to go through or cause to go through a chemical reaction
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