What does "reception" mean?
The act of receiving.
Reception
/ɹɪˈsɛp.ʃn̩/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of receiving.
- Grammar: reception is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: receipt, acceptance, acceptance, acceptation.
- Useful contrasts: abandonment, despatch, dispatch.
- Usage evidence: Old friends were invited to the reception.
How to use "reception"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "reception" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "reception" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "reception" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "reception" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "reception" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "receipt" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "reception", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of receiving. countable, uncountable
- 2 the act of receiving wordnet
- 3 The act or ability to receive radio or similar signals. uncountable
"We have poor TV reception in the valley."
- 4 (American football) the act of catching a pass in football wordnet
- 5 A social engagement, usually to formally welcome someone. countable, uncountable
"After the wedding we proceeded to the reception."
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 quality or fidelity of a received broadcast wordnet
- 7 A reaction; the treatment received on first talking to a person, arriving at a place, etc. countable, uncountable
"The ambassador's jokes met a cold reception."
- 8 the manner in which something is greeted wordnet
- 9 The desk of a hotel or office where guests are received. countable, uncountable
"The reception of the hotel is on the second floor; exit the lift and turn right."
- 10 a formal party of people; as after a wedding wordnet
- 11 The school year, or part thereof, between preschool and Year 1, when children are introduced to formal education. UK, countable, uncountable
- 12 The conscious adoption or transplantation of legal phenomena from a different culture. countable, uncountable
"Among the numerous receptions of Roman law one event stood out, to the extent that, at least in central Europe, it almost monopolized the term."
- 13 The act of catching a pass. countable, uncountable
"Henderson can play multiple techniques, man and off, and over the last two seasons, he yielded just 20 receptions, on 44 targets, in single coverage on the boundary, according to Pro Football Focus, making him a prime candidate to start there as a rookie."
- 14 Reading viewed as the active process of receiving a text in any medium (written, spoken, signed, multimodal, nonverbal), consisting of several steps, such as ideation, comprehension, reconstruction, interpretation. countable, uncountable
Antonyms
Example
"Old friends were invited to the reception."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "reception"?
Common synonyms include: receipt, acceptance, acceptance, acceptation, accepting, acception.
How do you use "reception" in a sentence?
Old friends were invited to the reception.
How do you pronounce "reception"?
Pronounced /ɹɪˈsɛp.ʃn̩/.
Etymology
From Middle English recepcion, reception, from Middle French reception, from Latin receptiōn- (“the act of receiving; reception”), from recipiō (“receive”), from re- (“back”) + capiō (“I hold”). Equivalent to receive + -tion.