rejoinder
noun
re·join·der
ri-ˈjȯin-dər 
1
: the defendant's answer to the plaintiff's replication
2
: reply
specifically
: an answer to a reply
Examples of rejoinder in a Sentence
The article was a stinging rejoinder to her critics.
he always has a smart-aleck rejoinder to everything
Recent Examples on the Web
For every Pollak that offered a rejoinder to the fascist appropriation of Greece and Rome, there were apologists and collaborators who gladly excavated the ancients for the purposes of modern regimes.
—
Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
Yet along with the congratulations to Schofield and her husband, Michael, came a rather puzzling rejoinder.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
The tone ranges from hopeful to exasperated—a common rejoinder is that death precedes new, healthy growth—but the over-all effect is a refreshingly cold shower.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2025
However, what smooths out these bumps in the road is Brooks’ ability to consistently write earnest speeches, or button scenes with a snarky rejoinders.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rejoinder
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Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
Yet along with the congratulations to Schofield and her husband, Michael, came a rather puzzling rejoinder.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
The tone ranges from hopeful to exasperated—a common rejoinder is that death precedes new, healthy growth—but the over-all effect is a refreshingly cold shower.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2025
However, what smooths out these bumps in the road is Brooks’ ability to consistently write earnest speeches, or button scenes with a snarky rejoinders.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rejoinder
Cite this Entry
“Rejoinder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rejoinder. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rejoinder
noun
re·join·der
ri-ˈjȯin-dər
: reply entry 2
especially
: an answer to a reply
Legal Definition
rejoinder
noun
re·join·der
ri-ˈjȯin-dər
: an answer to a reply
specifically
: the defendant's answer to the plaintiff's reply or replication under common-law pleading
Etymology
Anglo-French, from rejoindre, rejoinder to make rejoinder, literally, to join again, meet, from Old French, from re- again + joindre to join
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