reply

1 of 2

verb

re·​ply ri-ˈplī 

replied; replying

intransitive verb

1

a

: to respond in words or writing

b

: echo, resound

c

: to make a legal replication

2

: to do something in response

specifically : to return gunfire or an attack

transitive verb

: to give as an answer

replier

ri-ˈplī(-ə)r 

noun

reply

2 of 2

noun

plural replies

1

: something said, written, or done in answer or response

2

: replication sense 1b(2)

Synonyms

Verb

• respond
• react

Noun

• response
• answer
• reaction

Choose the Right Synonym for reply

answer, response, reply, rejoinder, retort mean something spoken, written, or done in return.

answer implies the satisfying of a question, demand, call, or need.

had answers to all their questions

response may imply a quick or spontaneous reaction to a person or thing that serves as a stimulus.

a response to the call for recruits

reply often suggests a thorough response to all issues, points, or questions raised.

a point-by-point reply to the accusation

rejoinder can be a response to a reply or to an objection.

a salesman with a quick rejoinder to every argument

retort implies a reaction to an implicit or explicit charge, criticism, or attack which contains a countercharge or counterattack.

she made a cutting retort to her critics

Examples of reply in a Sentence

Verb

I called out to them, but no one replied.

He didn't reply to her greeting.

The company has replied to the recent protests by posting an ad in the local newspaper.

She replied to the accusation with a stack of documents proving her innocence.

He replied politely that he felt a little better.

Noun

A timely reply will be appreciated.

The invitations have been sent, but we haven't received any replies yet.

I asked her what was wrong. In reply, she handed me a letter.

He wrote a brief note in reply to her letter.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

In comparison, 23% of the older generations replied the same. —Michelle Fox, CNBC, 5 July 2025

Mascherano replied, when asked Friday morning if Messi would be traveling and available for the match. —Miami Herald, 5 July 2025

Noun

Treasury Secretary gave a blunt reply when asked to respond to Elon Musk's criticism of the One, Big, Beautiful Bill. —Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025

To the police detectives who visit his school, teen behavior is a cipher to be decoded, almost literally: their breakthrough arrives when the lead detective’s young son takes pity on his dad and tells him what all the emojis in Jamie’s Instagram replies mean. —Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 30 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English replien "to fold back, oppose, repeat, respond verbally, deny, answer a legal charge," borrowed from Anglo-French replier, reploier "to bend back, respond, answer, make a replication," in part continuing continental Old & Middle French repleier, reploier "to refold (something) unfolded," replié "something folded back" (from re- re- + plier "to fold, bend"), in part going back to Latin replicāre "to turn back on itself, bend back, unroll (a papyrus book), go over (a thought, topic) repeatedly, make a replication" (Late Latin also "to restore, repeat, reply") — more at ply entry 3, replicate entry 1

Note: Note that continental Old and Middle French repleier and its variants (continued by modern French replier) refer only to literal folding and lack the metaphoric senses of Latin and Late Latin replicāre. This has led some references (Französisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Trésor de la langue française) to treat repleier as a new formation from re- and plier. The Anglo-French verb, however, continues extended senses of Latin replicāre, in particular the legal sense, and suggests that it is either a direct descendant of replicāre or was formed as its equivalent on the model of other verbs ending in -plier (compare etymologies of apply, imply). Anglo-French repliquer was borrowed directly from the Latin verb (with correspondents in Old and Middle French; compare Modern French répliquer) and was apparently not taken up by Middle English.

Noun

derivative of reply entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing reply

• reply-paid

Rhymes for reply

• apply
• awry
• belie
• bely
• bigeye
• bonsai
• buckeye
• comply
• coxae
• decry
• defy
• deny

Kids Definition

reply

1 of 2 verb

re·​ply ri-ˈplī 

replied; replying

1

: to respond in words or writing

reply to a letter

2

: to do something in response

especially : to return gunfire or an attack

3

: to give as an answer

replied not a word

replier

-ˈplī(-ə)r 

noun

reply

2 of 2 noun

plural replies

: something said, written, or done in answer or response

Legal Definition

reply

noun

re·​ply

: a plaintiff's or complainant's response to a plea, allegation, or counterclaim in the defendant's answer