reception

noun

re·​cep·​tion ri-ˈsep-shən 

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.

Synonyms of reception

• event
• party
• celebration
• bash

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

The conversational delivery keeps listeners engaged without distracting from the content, creating a disruption-free experience that enhances ad reception. — Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Attached to the home via a passageway, but with a separate entrance on Chicago Avenue, this addition included an office, a double-height drafting room with a balcony on the upper level, a reception hall, and a library. — River Davies, Architectural Digest, 9 July 2026

Severance took a bit of time for the positive industry reception to translate into a significant mainstream audience. — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026

On Tuesday, July 7, the couple and their newborn daughter attended a press reception for Wilson’s upcoming Netflix comedy series at The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach, Calif. — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026

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

Phrases Containing reception

• reception area
• reception class
• reception room

Rhymes for reception

• conception
• deception
• exception
• inception
• perception
• apperception
• contraception
• interception
• misconception
• misperception
• preconception
• intussusception

Kids Definition

reception

noun

re·​cep·​tion ri-ˈsep-shən 

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