Reply is a commonused often; not unusual or rare word for saying or writing something back to someone after they speak, ask a question, or make a requestan act of politely asking for something. It can also be a noun for the messagea piece of information sent to another person or words you give back.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /rɪˈplaɪ/
Easy pronunciation: ri-PLY (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the second syllable: ply.
Verb, meaning to say something back in answer to someone.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Reply Meaning
to say something back in answer to someone
Part of speech: verb
Definition: react verbally
Example: She replied to the email right away.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- answer — A very common verb meaning to say something in return.
- respond — Works well when someone reacts with words to a question, message, or comment.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Reply
Meaning 2
a spoken return in a conversation
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the speech act of continuing a conversational exchange
Example: He gave a quiet reply.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- response — A natural noun for what someone says back in conversation.
Meaning 3
a spoken or written answer to something
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
Example: She sent a brief reply to the complaint.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- answer — A direct word for a spoken or written reply.
- response — Common for replies to questions, requests, criticism, or accusations.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Reply Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- answer
- respond
noun: a spoken return in conversation
- response
noun: a spoken or written answer to a question, request, criticism, or accusation
- answer
- response
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Reply as a verb means to say something back; it is not the same as simply listening or thinking about an answer.
- As a noun, reply usually means the words or message sent back, not the original question.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does reply mean?
Reply means to say or write something back in response to a question, message, request, or comment.
What are some synonyms for reply?
Common synonyms include answer and respond. For the noun, response is also a strong synonym, and answer can work in many contexts.
Is reply a verb or a noun?
Reply can be both a verb and a noun.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.