Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun reaction

7 senses of reaction

Sense 1
chemical reaction, reaction -- ((chemistry) a process in which one or more substances are changed into others; "there was a chemical reaction of the lime with the ground water")
       => chemical process, chemical change, chemical action -- ((chemistry) any process determined by the atomic and molecular composition and structure of the substances involved)

Sense 2
reaction -- (an idea evoked by some experience; "his reaction to the news was to start planning what to do")
       => idea, thought -- (the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about; "it was not a good idea"; "the thought never entered my mind")

Sense 3
reaction, response -- (a bodily process occurring due to the effect of some antecedent stimulus or agent; "a bad reaction to the medicine"; "his responses have slowed with age")
       => bodily process, body process, bodily function, activity -- (an organic process that takes place in the body; "respiratory activity")

Sense 4
reaction -- ((mechanics) the equal and opposite force that is produced when any force is applied to a body; "every action has an equal and opposite reaction")
       => force -- ((physics) the influence that produces a change in a physical quantity; "force equals mass times acceleration")

Sense 5
reaction -- (a response that reveals a person's feelings or attitude; "he was pleased by the audience's reaction to his performance"; "John feared his mother's reaction when she saw the broken lamp")
       => response -- (a result; "this situation developed in response to events in Africa")

Sense 6
reaction -- (extreme conservatism in political or social matters; "the forces of reaction carried the election")
       => conservatism, conservativism -- (a political or theological orientation advocating the preservation of the best in society and opposing radical changes)

Sense 7
reaction -- (doing something in opposition to another way of doing it that you don't like; "his style of painting was a reaction against cubism")
       => resistance, opposition -- (the action of opposing something that you disapprove or disagree with; "he encountered a general feeling of resistance from many citizens"; "despite opposition from the newspapers he went ahead")