react

[ɹiːˈækt]

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reacting - react

An action is a reaction when something happens and we respond in some way.

When we react to something, it means we're responding or acting in response to what's going on around us. It can be good or bad - for example, if someone cuts you off while driving, your natural reaction might be to honk the horn. If you spill coffee all over your shirt, your reaction could be to quickly grab some paper towels to clean it up. Sometimes people react with strong emotions like anger or sadness, and sometimes they react calmly and thoughtfully. The key is that our reaction shows how we feel about what's happening and how we choose to respond to it.

How common is "react"?

Word react is considered uncommon in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.

Definitions

noun

An emoji used to express a reaction to a post on social media.
Example: Sad reacts only

verb

To act or perform a second time; to do over again; to reenact.
To return an impulse or impression; to resist the action of another body by an opposite force
Example: Every body reacts on the body that impels it from its natural state.
To act upon each other; to exercise a reciprocal or a reverse effect, as two or more chemical agents; to act in opposition.
To cause chemical agents to react; to cause one chemical agent to react with another.

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Real examples of "reacting" in context

Jennifer Lawrence Replies to Fans on the Internet | Actually Me | GQ

Interview

I think that's probably just me reacting to nervousness.

2:19