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Definition reaction in British English

reaction noun

noun
/riˈækʃ(ə)n/

▪ adverse, emotional, gut, immediate, initial, instinctive, knee-jerk, natural, violent

▪ cause, produce, provoke, trigger

1

the way that you feel or behave as a result of something that happens

Example

My mother's initial reaction was quite unexpected.

Synonyms and related words
1.1

a sudden feeling of being tired, upset etc, for example after an unpleasant or exciting experience

Example

The reaction of any individual trauma victim is difficult to predict.

Example

Shock is a natural reaction to such bad news.

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2

a bad effect on your body caused by food, medicine, or another substance

Example

Some people's skin has an allergic reaction to certain types of fabric.

Example

He suffered a violent reaction to the medicine.

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Example

A tragedy was only prevented by the driver's quick reactions.

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4

a process in which a chemical change happens

Example

Temperature can affect the rate of a chemical reaction.

Example

We are studying reactions between a number of metals and acids.

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Example

a nuclear reaction

Example

Newton teaches that action and reaction are equal and opposite.

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5

an attitude of wanting to do things in a different way from the way that they were done in the past

Example

The reaction against traditional styles continued for another 50 years.

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Example

the forces of reaction

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Definition reaction in British English