answer
AHN-suh
Answer (noun) means a reply given to a question, or a solution to a problem. Example: “She gave a quick answer to the teacher's question.”
noun
1
A reply given to a question, or a solution to a problem.
"She gave a quick answer to the teacher's question."
"They still hadn't found an answer to the budget shortfall."
"I'm still waiting for an answer to my email."
verb
1
To give a reply, especially to a question, letter, or call.
"Please answer the letter as soon as you can, even if only briefly."
"He answered the phone on the second ring."
"She answered every question calmly during the interview."
2
To be accountable or responsible for something, often to someone in authority.
"He'll have to answer to the board for the missed deadline."
"Drivers must answer for any damage caused by careless parking."
"The manager will answer to the owners for the shop's losses."
How to use answer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA reply to a question, or, as a verb, to reply or be responsible for something.
Common pairings
answer a question
answer the phone
answer to someone
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Word forms
- Plural
- answers
- Third person singular
- answers
- Past tense
- answered
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She gave a quick _____ to the teacher's question.
Etymology
From Old English andswaru, built from and- ("against") plus swaru ("statement, affirmation") — originally meaning something like a sworn reply rebutting a charge.
Synonyms
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Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “answer” mean?
The word “answer” means a reply given to a question, or a solution to a problem. In plain terms, a reply to a question, or, as a verb, to reply or be responsible for something.
How do you pronounce “answer”?
“Answer” is pronounced AHN-suh (/ˈæn.sɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “answer” in a sentence?
Here is “answer” used in a sentence: “She gave a quick answer to the teacher's question.”
What part of speech is “answer”?
Depending on how it is used, “answer” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “answer” come from?
The word “answer” comes from Old English. From Old English andswaru, built from and- ("against") plus swaru ("statement, affirmation") — originally meaning something like a sworn reply rebutting a charge.
Is “answer” a common word?
“Answer” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “answer” have?
“Answer” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a reply given to a question, or a solution to a problem.
What is the difference between an answer and a response?
An answer directly addresses a question or problem, giving the information or solution asked for. A response is any reaction or reply, which may or may not actually answer. Every answer is a response, but not every response is an answer — a shrug or 'no comment' responds without answering anything.
What is the difference between an answer and a solution?
An answer is the reply to a question — it might be a fact, a yes or no, or an explanation. A solution is specifically the way to resolve a problem. The two overlap when the question is itself a problem: the answer to a puzzle is also its solution.
What is an example of an answer?
If someone asks 'What time is it?' then 'Three o'clock' is the answer. For a maths problem like 2 + 2, the answer is 4. In both cases, the answer is the reply or solution that satisfies the question or problem posed — the information the asker was looking for.
What is the opposite of an answer?
The most natural opposite is a question — the thing an answer responds to. You might also contrast an answer with silence, a refusal to reply, or 'no comment,' where the expected answer is deliberately withheld. So the opposite is either the prompt itself or the absence of any reply.
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