reacted; reacting; reacts
1
: to exert a reciprocal or counteracting force or influence
—often used with on or upon
2
: to change in response to a stimulus
3
: to act in opposition to a force or influence
—usually used with against
4
: to move or tend in a reverse direction
5
: to undergo chemical reaction
: to cause to react
Examples of react in a Sentence
When I told her what happened, she reacted with anger.
I didn't expect him to react that way.
The firefighters reacted quickly when they heard the alarm.
He reacted badly to the drug.
Recent Examples on the Web
In other news: Louisville leaders react to D.C. police department takeover: President Donald Trump's National Guard deployment in Washington, D.C., has drawn attention in Louisville.
—
Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 20 Aug. 2025
Sophie Cunningham #8 of the Indiana Fever reacts during the game against the Atlanta Dream at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 11, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
There were no suggestions to that effect at the time, but Newcastle has reacted over the summer to facilitate a move on its terms; the £150m ($203m) price, which had been briefed as a minimum in order to deter interested parties, is now seen as a hard valuation.
—Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
How might McQueen himself have reacted to all this attention?
—Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for react
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Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 20 Aug. 2025
Sophie Cunningham #8 of the Indiana Fever reacts during the game against the Atlanta Dream at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 11, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
There were no suggestions to that effect at the time, but Newcastle has reacted over the summer to facilitate a move on its terms; the £150m ($203m) price, which had been briefed as a minimum in order to deter interested parties, is now seen as a hard valuation.
—Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
How might McQueen himself have reacted to all this attention?
—Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for react
Cite this Entry
“React.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/react. Accessed 29 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
react
verb
re·act
rē-ˈakt 
1
: to act or behave in response (as to stimulation or an influence)
the colonists reacted to the tax by boycotting tea
2
: to oppose a force or influence
—usually used with against
reacted against their unfair treatment
3
: to go through or cause to go through a chemical reaction
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