reply

UK: /rɪˈplaɪ/ US: /rɪˈplaɪ/ ,(ri plī′)

Inflections of 'reply' (n): npl: replies

Inflections of 'reply' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

replies

v 3rd person singular

replying

v pres p

replied

v past

replied

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•ply /rɪˈplaɪ/   v., -plied, -ply•ing, n., pl. -plies. 
v. 

1. to give an answer in words or writing;
   respond: [no object]
   to reply to a question.
   [~ + that clause]
   He replied that no one would go.
2. to respond by some action:
   [no object] to reply to the enemy's fire by firing back.

n. [countable]

3. a response in words or writing:
   received a reply to her letter.
4. a response in the form of some action:
   Their reply was a salvo from the huge guns.

Idioms

5. in reply, in an answer:
   What did you say in reply?

See -plic-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•ply  (ri plī′), v., -plied, -ply•ing, n., pl. -plies. 
v.i. 

1. to make answer in words or writing;
   answer;
   respond:
   to reply to a question.
2. to respond by some action, performance, etc.:
   to reply to the enemy's fire.
3. to return a sound;
   echo;
   resound.
4. Law to answer a defendant's plea.

v.t. 

5. to return as an answer (usually used in a negative combination or fol. by a clause with that):
   Not a syllable did he reply. He replied that no one would go.

n. 

6. an answer or response in words or writing.
7. a response made by some action, performance, etc.

• Latin replicāre to unroll, fold back; see replicate
• Middle French replier to fold back, reply
• Middle English replien (verb, verbal) 1350–1400

re•pli′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. rejoin.
• 6. rejoinder, riposte. See answer. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

reply / rɪˈplaɪ/ verb ( -plies, -plying, -plied)(mainly intr)

1. to make answer (to) in words or writing or by an action; respond
2. (tr; takes a clause as object) to say (something) in answer: she replied that she didn't want to come
3. to answer a defendant's plea
4. to return (a sound); echo

noun ( -plies)

1. an answer made in words or writing or through an action; response
2. the answer made by a plaintiff or petitioner to a defendant's case

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French replier to fold again, reply, from Latin replicāre to fold back, from re- + plicāre to fold

reˈplier noun