answer
/ˈænsɚ/
verbnoun
Core
1.v.react verbally
“She didn't want to answer”
2.v.respond to a signal
“answer the door”
3.v.give the correct answer or solution to
“answer a question”
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answer and solution share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. answer means “react verbally”. solution means “a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances; frequently (but not necessarily) a liquid solution”. answer is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈænsɚ/
1.v.react verbally
“She didn't want to answer”
2.v.respond to a signal
“answer the door”
3.v.give the correct answer or solution to
“answer a question”
/səˈluʃən/
1.n.a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances; frequently (but not necessarily) a liquid solution
“he used a solution of peroxide and water”
2.n.a statement that solves a problem or explains how to solve the problem
“they were trying to find a peaceful solution”
3.n.a method for solving a problem
“the easy solution is to look it up in the handbook”
| answer | solution | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈænsɚ/ | /səˈluʃən/ |
| Said | AN-sur | suh-LOO-shuhn |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Letters | 6 | 8 |
| Parts of speech | verb, noun | noun |
| Senses | 15 | 5 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | reply, respond | none recorded |
Full entry for answer · Full entry for solution · More comparisons