replying
- 1Present participle and gerund of reply.
Replying to every email took up most of her morning.
The senator avoided replying to the reporter's pointed question.
Note
Two jobs share the -ing spelling: the progressive after be (she was replying when the line dropped) and the verbal noun (replying promptly matters). Used intransitively, it takes to before whatever is being answered, as in replying to a letter. Used transitively, it takes the answer itself, usually a clause: replying that she had no comment. Where a plain noun will do, reply often takes over from the gerund: in reply, not in replying.
replying is a form of reply
reply, verb: To respond in words, spoken or written, especially to a question, request, criticism, or accusation. Full entry
- Spelling
- reply → replying: add -ing
Use it in a sentence
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