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
Early, hurtful experiences can cause children to see the world differently and to react in seemingly unpredictable ways.
—
Dr. Andrew Garner, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
People don’t react well to the bear—or the dolphin—in the room, Grantham said.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
Thompson believes that playing slightly further back gives him additional milliseconds to react to shots and get his hands and feet onto pucks that used to sail past him.
—Jesse Granger, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2026
The crowd reacts during the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska on May 3, 2025.
—Alex Crippen, CNBC, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for react
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Dr. Andrew Garner, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
People don’t react well to the bear—or the dolphin—in the room, Grantham said.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
Thompson believes that playing slightly further back gives him additional milliseconds to react to shots and get his hands and feet onto pucks that used to sail past him.
—Jesse Granger, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2026
The crowd reacts during the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska on May 3, 2025.
—Alex Crippen, CNBC, 11 Apr. 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 16 Apr. 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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