"reaction to" vs "reaction toward"

Question

"reaction to" vs "reaction toward"

Both 'reaction to' and 'reaction toward' are commonly used in English to indicate how someone responds to something. They are interchangeable in many contexts, but 'reaction to' is more widely used and accepted.

Last Updated: March 12, 2024

This phrase is used to describe how someone responds to a particular situation, event, or stimulus.

Examples:

Her reaction to the news was one of shock and disbelief.
What was your reaction to the movie?
I'm curious about his reaction to the proposal.
The students had different reactions to the test results.
His reaction to criticism is always defensive.

Alternatives:

response to
attitude towards
behavior towards
feedback on
opinion on

This phrase is also used to describe how someone responds to a particular situation, event, or stimulus, but it is less common than 'reaction to'.

Examples:

His reaction toward the project was positive.
I noticed her reaction toward the new employee.
What is your reaction toward the changes?
The manager's reaction toward the complaint was professional.
The team's reaction toward the challenge was impressive.

Alternatives:

reaction to
response toward
attitude to
behavior to
feedback toward

Answer 1

reaction to

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Answer 2

reaction toward

This phrase is correct and can be used in English, but 'reaction to' is more commonly used.

"reaction to" vs "reaction toward"

reaction to

reaction toward

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