received a reply

USAGE SUMMARY

"received a reply" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that someone responded to something you said or did. For example, "I sent an email to the customer service team and received a reply within an hour."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He filed for a pardon a decade ago, but said he never received a reply.

The New York Times

Deans never received a reply.

The New Yorker

She received a reply.

The New Yorker

We never received a reply.

The Guardian - Opinion

I never received a reply.

The Guardian

The French group never received a reply.

The New York Times

He had not yet received a reply.

Independent

At least they received a reply.

The New York Times

She says she never received a reply.

The Guardian

And you haven't received a reply.

The Guardian - Tech

Weeks later, he received a reply.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the context and audience when choosing between "received a reply" and more informal alternatives like "heard back" or "got a response".

Common error

Avoid unnecessarily converting active sentences with "received a reply" into passive constructions. For example, instead of "A reply was received by me", use the more direct "I received a reply".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "received a reply" functions as a verbal phrase indicating the action of getting a response to a communication. It typically follows a subject who initiated the communication, as seen in the Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

71%

Science

15%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "received a reply" is a common and grammatically sound way to express that someone has obtained a response. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is widely applicable in various contexts, particularly in news and media. While alternatives like "heard back" or "got a response" exist, "received a reply" offers a neutral and clear way to convey the information. It's best practice to avoid unnecessary passive voice constructions and tailor the phrasing to your audience and context for the most effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

got a response

Uses a more informal verb ("got") instead of "received".

obtained a reply

Employs a more formal verb ("obtained") instead of "received".

was answered

Shifts the focus to the action of being answered, rather than the act of receiving.

heard back

Uses a phrasal verb ("heard back") for a more conversational tone.

a response was received

Changes the sentence structure to passive voice.

got feedback

Substitutes "reply" with "feedback", implying a more detailed response.

had a reply

Uses "had" to indicate possession of a reply.

a response came

Emphasizes the arrival of the response.

the answer arrived

Replaces "reply" with "answer" and emphasizes its arrival.

a communication was received

Uses a more formal and general term ("communication") instead of "reply".

FAQs

How can I use "received a reply" in a sentence?

You can use "received a reply" to indicate that you got a response to a question or request, like in "I sent an email and "received a reply" the next day".

What's a more informal way to say "received a reply"?

Instead of "received a reply", you could say "heard back" or "got a response" for a more casual tone.

Is "received a reply from" grammatically correct?

Yes, "received a reply from" is grammatically correct. For example, "I received a reply from the manager" indicates who sent the reply.

What is the difference between "received a reply" and "did not receive a reply"?

"Received a reply" means you got a response, while "did not receive a reply" implies you sent something but got no response. Consider an alternative construction such as "never "did not receive a reply"" to highlight the lack of response.