reception

noun

re·​cep·​tion ri-ˈsep-shən How to pronounce reception (audio)
1
: the act or action or an instance of receiving: such as
a
: receipt
the reception and distribution of funds
b
: admission
reception into the church
c
: response, reaction
the play met with a mixed reception
d
: the receiving of a radio or television broadcast
e
: the catching of a forward pass by a receiver
2
: a social gathering often for the purpose of extending a formal welcome

Did you know?

Reception is the noun form of receive. So at a formal reception, guests are received or welcomed or "taken in". A bad TV reception means the signal isn't being received well. When a new novel receives good reviews, we say it has met with a good critical reception. If it gets a poor reception, on the other hand, that's the same as saying that it wasn't well-received.

Examples of reception in a Sentence

The school held a reception for the new students and their families. He decided to run for a seat on the school committee only a year after his reception into the community. Her job is to deal with the reception of donations.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Country singer Kane Brown was originally announced as the final act, but tickets swiftly sold out after the pop star appeared at a welcome reception on June 23. Bryan West, USA Today, 26 June 2025 At the reception, red candles glowed softly atop crisp white tablecloths next to gold cutlery. Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 26 June 2025 Actor Joseph Fiennes, star of Shakespeare in Love and The Handmaid's Tale, will be presenting one of the awards at the Royal Festival Hall on Thursday and attended Wednesday's reception. Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025 The day before, Swift had joined Kelce at a private welcome reception held at the Nashville nightclub L.A. Jackson, followed by the pair making a visit to Jason Aldean’s Kitchen and Rooftop Bar. Chris Willman, Variety, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for reception

Word History

Etymology

Middle English recepcion, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French reception, from Latin reception-, receptio, from recipere

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reception was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reception.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reception. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

reception

noun
re·​cep·​tion ri-ˈsep-shən How to pronounce reception (audio)
1
: the act or process of receiving, welcoming, or accepting
a warm reception
2
: the receiving of a radio or television broadcast
3
: a social gathering
a wedding reception

More from Merriam-Webster on reception

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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