rejoinder.

1. A reply to a statement or criticism, often sharply phrased.

2. In traditional common-law pleading, the defendant’s answer to the plaintiff’s replication.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• sharp rejoinder
• brief rejoinder
• offer a rejoinder

On the page

Her rejoinder addressed the criticism rather than the critic.

He offered a brief rejoinder before returning to the main argument.

The sharp rejoinder silenced the room without settling the dispute.

Usage notes

Primary category: academic. Forms: Singular rejoinder; plural rejoinders. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings.