1
as in reacting
to act or behave in response (as to a stimulus or influence)
doctors studying how the brain responds to pain
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in replying
to speak or write in reaction to a question or to another reaction
the students energetically participated in the discussion, responding to the teacher's questions and comments with alacrity and enthusiasm
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of responding
An analysis by the Police Department from 2015 found that about 70% of ShotSpotter alerts in the coverage area were not accompanied by a 911 call, meaning officers were often responding to gunfire incidents that residents did not report, Becchina said.
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Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 12 Jan. 2026
Auditing two departments Calvo plans to establish a task force to audit Hialeah’s 911 operations, responding tor concerns from dispatchers about understaffing and slow response times.
—Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
And some officials have struck a conciliatory tone when responding to the unrest.
—Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
The Justice Department has a playbook ready for responding to emergencies like the one unfolding in Minneapolis, including containing unrest and defusing community anger or distrust in law enforcement.
—Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026
The actors — including Saja Kilani and Motaz Malhees — perform alongside these archival recordings, responding to the child’s pleas in real time.
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 11 Jan. 2026
Panelists joined Washington Week With The Atlantic to discuss how voters and lawmakers are responding, and more.
—The Editors, The Atlantic, 8 Nov. 2025
The team, which is part of Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services, is responding to a growing number of clients each year.
—Eva Wen, jsonline.com, 7 Nov. 2025
How food banks are responding About 425,000 Houston households rely on SNAP, Greene says, and in order to meet their typical level of need, Houston Food Bank would have to double its output.
—Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for responding
Verb
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Using high-speed sensors, the system scans the road surface up to 500 times per second and can adjust damping as often as 200 times per second, reacting within milliseconds.—
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Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara reacting to that video.—
Verb
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The biggest update is to how Gemini will assist users with writing and replying to messages.—
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Feedback is welcome and can be provided by simply replying to the daily email itself.—
Verb
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Officers responded to the couple’s home after several concerned friends and co-workers called police to report that Spencer Tepe, a local dentist, had not shown up for work and Monique Tepe was not answering the phone.—
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There were Miami heroics of receiver Malachi Toney turning a short pass into a 36-yard touchdown for the lead, and Mississippi’s answering heroics of quarterback Trinidad Chambliss throwing a 24-yard touchdown to retake the lead.—
Cite this Entry
“Responding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/responding. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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