Meaning & use

reactant

noun·Academic

A substance that takes part in and undergoes change during a chemical reaction.

See it in a sentence

In this experiment, vinegar and baking soda are the two reactants that produce carbon dioxide.

Chemists must measure each reactant precisely to predict how much product will form.

A note on using this word

In a balanced chemical equation, reactants appear on the left side of the arrow and products on the right.

Words with a similar meaning

reagent

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

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