REACTION Synonyms: 17 Similar and Opposite Words

reaction

noun

rē-ˈak-shən

Definition of reaction

as in response

action or behavior that is done in return to other action or behavior we were startled by her extreme reaction to being jilted by her boyfriend

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of reaction The September regular expiration gives the September 2 earnings reaction room to play out without forcing an immediate binary decision. — Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026 The film received strong reviews for its scope but more mixed reactions to its evidence-to-speculation ratio. — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026 The negative reactions to Haapoja’s and Kolder’s videos have been much louder than most of the responses to some of Higgsfield’s other recent creator collaborations. — Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge, 21 Aug. 2026 After the match, the Irresistible Forces ganged up on Stratton, but Canada’s own Chelsea Green hit the ring and cleaned house with a kendo stick to a huge reaction. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reaction

Recent Examples of Synonyms for reaction

Noun

This disinformation, often fueled by fossil-fuel interests and amplified by platform algorithms, is described as lethal, drowning out critical public safety information and hindering emergency responses.

— David Vetter, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
The idea is to train the immune system to recognize and kill those unique cancer markers and then pair that response with Keytruda, which helps the body attack the cancer more effectively.

— Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of response

Noun

Those conspiracy theories, Wagner said, are often ways of looking at the world that provide answers to questions when an outcome is too uncomfortable for people.

— Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
An intelligence layer built on top of fragmented operational data produces answers that sound actionable and are not.

— William Jones, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Aug. 2026