reaction
A response to an action or event
Something you do, say, or feel after something happens.
[someone]'s reaction to [something]
- Her reaction to the news was one of shock.
- The teacher's reaction surprised the students.
- I was pleased by his positive reaction to my idea.
- Public reaction to the new law has been mixed.
- My reaction was slow.
- Her reaction was happy.
- He had a bad reaction to the movie.
- The reaction to the game was big.
A chemical change when substances interact
When two or more things mix and change into new things.
a chemical reaction between [substance] and [substance]
- The chemical reaction produced heat and light.
- Rusting is a slow chemical reaction.
- This experiment will demonstrate the reaction between vinegar and baking soda.
- Mixing these makes a big reaction.
- The reaction made gas.
- Heat starts the reaction.
A body's physical response to something
How your body moves or changes when something happens to it.
- She had an allergic reaction to the medicine.
- The doctor checked his pupils' reaction to light.
- His quick reaction saved him from falling.
- I had a bad skin reaction.
- Her eyes had no reaction to light.
- The medicine gave me a strong reaction.
Opposition to change or influence
When people do not want change and try to stop it.
- There has been strong reaction against the policy changes.
- His ideas met with immediate reaction from traditionalists.
- The movement grew as a reaction to government reforms.
- People had a strong reaction against the plan.
- The law caused a big reaction in the town.
- His speech was a reaction to the new rules.
- Base: reaction
- Plural: reaction, reactions
delayed reaction
1A response that happens later than expected
When you answer or act some time after something happens.
- He had a delayed reaction to the joke and laughed minutes later.
- The medication can cause a delayed reaction in some patients.
gut reaction
1An instinctive feeling-based response
A feeling about something that you have right away, without thinking much.
- My gut reaction was that something was wrong.
- Trust your gut reaction when making decisions.
chain reaction
1series of linked events caused by each other
A series of events where each one causes the next one to happen.
- The news set off a chain reaction of protests across the country.
- The argument set off a chain reaction in the office.
- One mistake led to a chain reaction of problems.
- One error in the system created a chain reaction of failures.
knee-jerk reaction
1Automatic unthinking response
A quick answer or action without thinking carefully.
- Her comment was just a knee-jerk reaction to criticism.
- Don't make a knee-jerk decision without considering the facts.
knee-jerk reaction
2An immediate unthinking response
A quick answer or action without thinking carefully first.
- His comment was just a knee-jerk reaction to criticism.
- Don't make a knee-jerk reaction—think it over first.