respond

1 to act or behave in response (as to a stimulus or influence) <doctors studying how the brain responds to pain> Synonyms reply, reactRelated Words answer, return; retaliate; construe, interpret, read, take, understand; contend (with), cope (with), grapple (with), handle, manage, negotiateNear Antonyms act, behave; affect, cause, draw, effect

2 to speak or write in reaction to a question or to another reaction <the students energetically participated in the discussion, responding to the teacher's questions and comments with alacrity and enthusiasm> Synonyms come back, rejoin, reply, answer, retort, return, riposteRelated Words acknowledge, comment, communicate, correspond, react, remark; counter, defend, deny, explain, field, rebut, refuteNear Antonyms challenge, cross-examine, examine, grill, interrogate, pump, quiz; poll, query, surveyAntonyms ask, inquire, question