reciprocation

noun re·cip·ro·ca·tion \ ri-ˌsi-prə-ˈkā-shən \

Updated on: 21 Mar 2018

Definition of reciprocation

1 a : a mutual exchange

b : a return in kind or of like value

2 : an alternating motion

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reciprocative

play \ri-ˈsi-prə-ˌkā-tiv, -kə-\ adjective

Recent Examples of reciprocation from the Web

And Boyfriend’s generosity, which denies reciprocation, sounds like control to me.

— philip galanes, New York Times, "Why Can’t a Modern Woman Pay (at Least) Half?," 8 Mar. 2018
Is Carol’s affection perhaps meant to double down on the joke, to show how ridiculous such a reciprocation would be in real life?

— rebecca onion, Slate Magazine, "Why there’s such a long cultural history of jokes about workplace sexual harassment.," 19 Dec. 2017
Concessions without reciprocation, made against the better judgment of foreign policy advisers, smack more of payoff than outreach.

— michael gerson, Alaska Dispatch News, "Trump’s subservience to Russia is just not normal," 24 July 2017
Trump reached out to touch Macron’s shoulder, a gesture that drew Macron’s smile but not his reciprocation.

— fred kaplan, Slate Magazine, "With Trump, Flattery Will Get You Everywhere," 13 July 2017
But that part about reciprocation and paying attention to her cues really matters.

— alison green, The Cut, "All Your Questions About Workplace Romance, Answered," 29 Aug. 2017
Reciprocation is a nice gesture in any circumstance.

— hannah smothers, Cosmopolitan, "Men Answer All Your Most Important Blow Job Questions," 25 May 2017
Satisfying reciprocation doesn’t have to be tit-for-tat.

— philip galanes, New York Times, "Can I Stay at a Hotel When Visiting My Crowded Family Home?," 15 Dec. 2016
Hart found that individuals would rarely produce more than two egg parcels consecutively before switching roles to ensure reciprocation from their partner.

— mary k. hart, National Geographic, "These Fish Swap Their Sex Up to 20 Times a Day," 6 July 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reciprocation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.