# answer

/ˈænsɝ/ (US) · /ˈɑːnsɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/answer
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a reply

noun · CEFR A1

something you say or write back to someone who has asked you a question.

For teachers: a spoken or written response to a question, statement, or greeting.

- I sent her a message yesterday but I still haven't had an answer.
- The minister provided a vague answer to the journalist's inquiry, successfully avoiding any commitment to a specific timeline for the new policy.

### 2. a solution

noun · CEFR A2

the way to fix a problem or the correct result of a test question.

For teachers: the solution to a problem or the correct result of a mathematical or logical exercise.

- Check your answers at the back of the book after you finish the exercise.
- Scientists are still searching for an answer to the mystery of why these birds migrate such vast distances every year.

### 3. legal response

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

a formal document that a person writes to defend themselves in court.

For teachers: a formal written pleading filed by a defendant in response to a civil complaint.

- The company filed its answer to the lawsuit on Tuesday morning.
- The defendant's answer denied all allegations of negligence and raised several affirmative defenses regarding the statute of limitations.

### 4. to reply

verb · CEFR A1

to say or write something back to someone.

For teachers: to speak, write, or act in response to a query or statement.

- She didn't answer me when I asked her what was wrong.
- The CEO refused to answer questions regarding the merger until the official press release had been distributed to the shareholders.

### 5. to pick up a phone/door

verb · CEFR A1

to pick up the phone or open the door when someone is there.

For teachers: to respond to a signal, such as a telephone ringing or a knock at a door.

- I knocked on the door for five minutes but nobody answered.
- Despite several attempts to reach the office by phone, nobody answered the call during regular business hours.

### 6. to be responsible

verb · CEFR B2

to be the person who must explain why something happened or take the blame.

For teachers: to be responsible or liable for something; to be accountable to a person or authority.

- The manager has to answer for the mistakes made by his team.
- In a democratic system, elected officials must ultimately answer to the public for the decisions they make while in office.

Usage: Usually used with the preposition 'for' (the action) or 'to' (the person in charge).

### 7. to match or suit

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to be exactly what is needed for a specific purpose.

For teachers: to correspond to a description or to satisfy a particular requirement or need.

- This new apartment answers all my needs for a quiet place to work.
- The suspect arrested last night answers the description provided by the witnesses at the scene of the crime.

## Examples

- I don't know the answer.
- The teacher asked a difficult question, but nobody knew the correct answer.
- His evasive answer suggested he was hiding something, leaving the committee more suspicious than it had been before the hearing.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.