Meaning & use
reaction to a question
Last updated
UK/riˈækʃən tə ə ˈkwestʃən/
US/riˈækʃən tə ə ˈkwestʃən/
Meaning
phrasecountable
the way someone responds when they are asked a question
Grammar: Countable: a reaction to a question, the reaction to the question.
Patterns
- someone's reaction to a question
- a reaction to a question from someone
Her reaction to the question was a long silence.
We watched his reaction to the question carefully.
The reporter noted the minister's reaction to the question.
Word forms
| plural | reactions to questions |
|---|
Common combinations
- an angry reaction to a question
- He gave an angry reaction to the question about his past.
- an immediate reaction to a question
- Her immediate reaction to the question was to laugh.
- watch someone's reaction to a question
- The interviewer watched her reaction to the question.
Synonyms and how they differ
- response to a question
- Response is more neutral and often means the answer itself, not the feeling behind it.
- answer to a question
- An answer is the words you say; a reaction can also be a facial expression or silence.
Word family
Practice
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The phrase is 'reaction to a question'. The other prepositions (of, on, for) are not used with 'reaction' in this meaning.
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