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
At the time, some were also feeling heightened distrust of law enforcement, which had in some places reacted to Black Lives Matter protests with violence.
—
Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2024
Once, Maxim said, his father had reacted to a comment that the writer Alexander Fadeyev had made in a notebook shortly after the première.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024
These weaknesses compromise Boeing's present market posture as well as its capacity to react properly to new challenges like COMAC.
—Jim Osman, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Republican leaders react to guilty verdict Several Republican leaders reacted to Wednesday’s verdict and sentencing, with many of them having previously highlighted the case to support their calls for tighter border security.
—Nicole Chavez, CNN, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for react 
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.
Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2024
Once, Maxim said, his father had reacted to a comment that the writer Alexander Fadeyev had made in a notebook shortly after the première.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024
These weaknesses compromise Boeing's present market posture as well as its capacity to react properly to new challenges like COMAC.
—Jim Osman, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Republican leaders react to guilty verdict Several Republican leaders reacted to Wednesday’s verdict and sentencing, with many of them having previously highlighted the case to support their calls for tighter border security.
—Nicole Chavez, CNN, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for react
Dictionary Entries Near react
Cite this Entry
“React.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/react. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share