replying

"Replying" is the present participle form of the verb "reply." It has a couple of closely related meanings, all centered around the idea of responding to something — whether that's a message, a question, or a person speaking to you.

1verbresponding to a message

When someone sends you an email, a text, or a letter, and you write back to them, you are replying. Think of it as sending your answer back through the same channel.

everyday language, communication · Modern, widely used

She spent the morning replying to all her work emails.

He kept replying to every comment on his post.

I am replying to your message as quickly as I can.

2verbresponding in a conversation

When someone says something to you and you speak back to them, you are replying. It simply means giving an answer or a reaction to what someone said.

everyday language · Modern, widely used

"I don't know," she said, replying without looking up from her book.

He paused before replying to the teacher's question.

The child kept replying with one-word answers.

3verbfigurativeresponding to an action or situation

Sometimes 'replying' is used more broadly — not just for words, but for any kind of response to something that happened. For example, a country might reply to an attack, or a team might reply to a goal scored against them.

journalism, sports, formal writing · Modern, widely used · figurative

The team conceded a goal in the first half but replied with two goals of their own.

The government replied to the criticism by announcing new reforms.

She replied to his rudeness by simply walking away.