Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense reciprocates, present participle reciprocating, past tense, past participle reciprocated
verb
If your feelings or actions towards someone are reciprocated, the other person feels or behaves in the same way towards you as you have felt or behaved towards them.
He reciprocated the party leader's good wishes. [VERB noun]
Their attraction to each other as friends is reciprocated. [VERB noun]
I helped Juan with his English and he reciprocated by correcting my Spanish. [VERB + by]
Synonyms: return, requite, feel in return, match More Synonyms of reciprocate
reciprocation (rɪsɪprəkeɪʃən)uncountable noun
There was no reciprocation of affection. [+ of]
More Synonyms of reciprocate
reciprocate in British English
(rɪˈsɪprəˌkeɪt)
verb
1.
to give or feel in return
2.
to move or cause to move backwards and forwards
3. (intransitive)
to be correspondent or equivalent
Derived forms
reciprocation (reˌciproˈcation)
noun
reciprocative (reˈciprocative) or reciprocatory (reˈciproˌcatory)
adjective
reciprocator (reˈciproˌcator)
noun
Word origin
C17: from Latin reciprocāre, from reciprocusreciprocal
reciprocate in American English
(rɪˈsɪprəˌkeɪt)
verb transitiveWord forms: reˈciproˌcated or reˈciproˌcating
1.
a.
to give and get, do, feel, etc. reciprocally; interchange
b.
to give, do, feel, etc. in return; return in kind or degree
2.
to cause to move alternately back and forth
verb intransitive
3.
to make some sort of return for something done, given, etc.
4.
to move alternately back and forth; interchange position
5. Archaic
to be correspondent or equivalent
Derived forms
reciprocation (reˌciproˈcation)
noun
reciprocative (reˈciproˌcative)
adjective or reˈciprocaˌtory (rɪˈsɪprəkəˌtɔri)
reciprocator (reˈciproˌcator)
noun
Word origin
< L reciprocatus, pp. of reciprocare < reciprocus: see reciprocal
Examples of 'reciprocate' in a sentence
reciprocate
They tried to reciprocate by making Tresillian available to anyone who wanted to come, and anyone who wanted to bring friends.
Gaskin, Catherine THE AMBASSADOR'S WOMEN (2002)
That she did not reciprocate Alain's depth of feeling was further proof of her own shoddiness.
Martin, Joy THE IMAGE OF LAURA (2002)
He offered her a conspiratorial smile that she didn't reciprocate.
Mark Burnell CHAMELEON (2002)
Meggie saw it as a chance to reciprocate for those lonely Queensland years, and Anne saw it as salvation.
Colleen McCullough THE THORN BIRDS (2002)
In other languages
reciprocate
British English: reciprocate VERB
If your feelings or actions towards someone are reciprocated, the other person feels or behaves in the same way towards you as you have felt or behaved towards them.
I would like to think the way I treat people is reciprocated.
American English: reciprocate
Brazilian Portuguese: retribuir
Chinese: 同等回应
European Spanish: corresponder
French: rendre la pareille
German: erwidern
Italian: contraccambiare
Japanese: 報いる
Korean: ~에 보답하다
European Portuguese: retribuir
Latin American Spanish: corresponder
1 (verb)
Definition
to give or feel in return
Her loathing for Francine is reciprocated.
Synonyms
return
Her feelings are not returned.
requite
feel in return
match
We matched them in every department of the game.
respond
He responded to the attacks by exacting suitable retribution.
equal
No amount of money can equal memories like that.
retaliate
I was sorely tempted to retaliate.
return the compliment
2 (verb)
Synonyms
be equivalent
correspond
trade
They traded land for goods and money.
exchange
We exchanged addresses.
reply
He replied that this was absolutely impossible.
swap
Some hostages were swapped for convicted prisoners.
interchange
She likes to interchange furniture at home with stock from the shop.
barter
They have been bartering wheat for cotton and timber.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of barter
Definition
to trade goods or services in exchange for other goods or services, rather than for money
They have been bartering wheat for cotton and timber.
Synonyms
trade,
sell,
exchange,
switch,
traffic,
bargain,
swap,
haggle,
drive a hard bargain
in the sense of equal
Definition
to make or do something equal to
No amount of money can equal memories like that.
Synonyms
be as good as,
match,
compare with,
equate with,
measure up to,
be as great as
in the sense of exchange
Definition
to replace (one thing) with another, esp. to replace unsatisfactory goods
We exchanged addresses.
Synonyms
interchange,
change,
trade,
switch,
swap,
truck,
barter,
reciprocate,
bandy,
give to each other,
give to one another
Nearby words of
reciprocate
recipe
recipient
reciprocal
reciprocate
recital
recitation
recite
Synonyms of 'reciprocate'
reciprocate
Explore 'reciprocate' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of interchange
Definition
to change places or cause to change places
She likes to interchange furniture at home with stock from the shop.
Synonyms
exchange,
switch,
swap,
alternate,
trade,
barter,
reciprocate,
bandy
in the sense of match
Definition
to resemble, harmonize with, or equal one another or something else
We matched them in every department of the game.
Synonyms
rival,
equal,
compete with,
compare with,
emulate,
contend with,
measure up to
in the sense of reply
Definition
to say (something) in answer
He replied that this was absolutely impossible.
Synonyms
answer,
respond,
retort,
return,
come back,
counter,
acknowledge,
react,
echo,
rejoin,
retaliate,
write back,
reciprocate,
riposte,
make an answer
in the sense of requite
Definition
to return to someone (the same treatment or feeling as received)
Synonyms
return,
pay,
respond,
reward,
satisfy,
compensate,
repay,
make good,
redress,
retaliate,
get even,
reimburse,
make amends,
reciprocate,
recompense,
make restitution,
give in return,
remunerate (formal),
give tit for tat,
pay (someone) back in their own coin,
return like for like
in the sense of respond
Definition
to act in reply
He responded to the attacks by exacting suitable retribution.
Synonyms
react,
retaliate,
hit back at,
reciprocate,
take the bait,
rise to the bait,
act in response
in the sense of retaliate
Definition
to repay some injury or wrong in kind
I was sorely tempted to retaliate.
Synonyms
pay someone back,
hit back,
strike back,
reciprocate,
take revenge,
get back at someone,
get even with (informal),
even the score,
get your own back (informal),
wreak vengeance,
exact retribution,
give as good as you get (informal),
take an eye for an eye,
make reprisal,
give (someone) a taste of their own medicine,
give tit for tat,
return like for like
in the sense of swap
Definition
to exchange (something) for something else
Some hostages were swapped for convicted prisoners.