answer

A response or reply; something said or done in reaction to a statement or question.

Noun

  1. A response or reply; something said or done in reaction to a statement or question.
    • Her answer to his proposal was a slap in the face.
    • When a student types a complex question into a chatbot, they get a polished (though not necessarily authentic, accurate or nuanced) answer in seconds. - 2025 December 9, Rachel Konrad and Matt Abrahams, “Why Young...
  2. A solution to a problem.
    • There is no simple answer to corruption.
    • Violence is not the answer to disagreements.
  3. Someone or something that fills a similar role or position.
    • Anti-pornography crusader Mary Whitehouse, who successfully brought London's Gay News to trial recently on charges of "blasphemy," is emerging as England's answer to Anita Bryant. - 1977 December 3, “England's Bryant”,...
  4. A document filed in response to a complaint, responding to each point raised in the complaint and raising counterpoints.

Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₂éntsder. Proto-Germanic *anda- Proto-Indo-European *swer-der. Proto-Germanic *swarō Proto-Germanic *andaswarō Proto-West Germanic *andaswaru Old English andswaru Middle English answere English answer From Middle English answere, andsware, from Old English andswaru (“answer”), from and- (“against”) + swaru (“affirmation”), (from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- (“front, forehead”) and Old English swerian (“to swear”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer-), suggesting an original meaning of "a sworn statement rebutting a charge". The cognates suggest the existence of Proto-Germanic *andaswarō (“a reply to a question”). Cognate with Old Frisian ondser (“answer”), Old Saxon andswōr (“answer”), Danish and Swedish ansvar (“liability, responsibility, answer”), Icelandic andsvar (“answer, response”). Compare also...

Forms

answers answeare aunswer aunswere

Related

ask

Derived

answerability answer engine answer key answerless answer on a postcard answer phone answerphone answer print answer set programming answer sheet answer song answer to someone's prayers answer up autoanswer back answer counteranswer male answer syndrome multianswer non-answer nonanswer short-answer take no for an answer the answer to a maiden's prayer

Verb

  1. To make a reply or response to.
    • She answers him as if she knew his mind: - 1593, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, London: […] Richard Field, […], →OCLC:
    • […] there was no voice, nor any that answered. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Kings 18:26:
    • “Well,” I answered, at first with uncertainty, then with inspiration, “he would do splendidly to lead your cotillon, if you think of having one.” ¶ “So you do not dance, Mr. Crocker?” ¶ I was somewhat set back by her...
  2. To speak in defence against; to reply to in defence.
    • to answer a charge or accusation
  3. To respond to a call by someone at a door or telephone, or other similar piece of equipment.
    • She answered the door.
    • Nobody answered when I knocked on the door.
  4. To suit a need or purpose satisfactorily.
    • It answers the need.
    • Mr. Knightley had done all in his power for Mr. Woodhouse’s entertainment. Books of engravings, drawers of medals, cameos, corals, shells, and every other family collection within his cabinets, had been prepared for his...
    • Inexperienced girl as I was, I fired at the idea of becoming his dupe, and fancying, perhaps, that there was more in merely answering his note than it would have amounted to, I said — "That kind of thing may answer very...
  5. To be accountable or responsible; to make amends.
    • The man must answer to his employer for the money entrusted to his care.
    • He has a lot to answer for.
    • And pleaſe your Maiestie, let his Neck anſwere for it, if there is any Marſhall Law in the World. - 1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies,...

    Synonyms: answer for

  6. To file a document in response to a complaint.
  7. To correspond to; to be in harmony with; to be in agreement with.
    • 1775, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The Duenna, Dublin: G. Burnet et al., 1794, Act II, Scene 2, p. 25, Egad, I wish she had answer’d her picture as well.
    • The use of dunder in the making of rum, answers the purpose of yeast in the fermentation of flour. - 1793, Bryan Edwards, The History, Civil and Commercial, of the British Colonies in the West Indies, Dublin: Luke...
    • Before I knew about sex, I knew that the word queer was an insult associated with skiny boys who couldn't throw a football, and since I answered this description, I took my share of abuse. - 1979 December 29, John...
  8. To be opposite, or to act in opposition.
    • The windows answering each other, we could just discern the glowing horizon through them […] - 1786, William Gilpin, Observations, relative chiefly to picturesque beauty, made in the year 1772: on several parts of...
  9. To be or act in conformity, or by way of accommodation, correspondence, relation, or proportion; to conform; to correspond; to suit; usually with to.
    • […] that the time may haue all ſhadow, and ſilence in it: and the place anſwere to conuenience - c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories,...
    • If this but answer to my just belief, / I’ll well remember you. - c. 1607–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, [George Wilkins?], The Late, and Much Admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. […], London: […]...
    • As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 27:19:
  10. To respond to satisfactorily; to meet successfully by way of explanation, argument, or justification; to refute.
    • […] no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 22:46:
    • These shifts refuted, answer thy appellant / Though by his blindness maim’d for high attempts, / Who now defies thee thrice to single fight, - 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […]”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In...
    • The reasoning was not and could not be answered. - 1851, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XIV, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume III, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans,...
  11. To be or act in compliance with, in fulfillment or satisfaction of, as an order, obligation, or demand.
    • He answered my claim upon him.
    • The servant answered the bell.
    • […] this proud king […] studies day and night / To answer all the debts he owes unto you - c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies,...
  12. To render account to or for.
    • […] I will, by to-morrow dinner-time, / Send him to answer thee, or any man, / For any thing he shall be charged withal: - c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr....

Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₂éntsder. Proto-Germanic *anda- Proto-Indo-European *swer-der. Proto-Germanic *swarjaną Proto-Germanic *andaswarjaną Old English andswerian Middle English answeren English answer From Middle English answeren, andswaren, answerien, from Old English andswarian, answarien (“to answer, to respond, to deny an allegation under oath”), from Proto-Germanic *andaswarōną, *andaswarjaną (“to answer, to give a response, to rebut”), from *anda- (“against”) + *swarjaną, *swarōną (“to swear an oath, to answer, to respond”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- (“face, forehead”) and *swer- (“to swear”). Cognate with Old Frisian ondswera (“to answer”), Danish ansvare (“to answer, account for”), Swedish ansvara (“to answer, account for”), Icelandic andsvara (“to answer, reply”).

Forms

answers answering answered answeare aunswer aunswere

Related

question

Derived

answerability answerable answer at answer back answerer answer for answering machine answering service answer someone's prayers answer the call answer the call of nature answer the helm answer to foreanswer misanswer reanswer unanswered