reciprocate
ri-SIP-ruh-kayt
/rɪˈsɪp.rə.keɪt/
To respond to a gesture, action, or emotion by making a corresponding one.
Implies a mutual exchange where an action is returned in kind, balancing the social ledger.
The story behind the word. Reciprocate comes from the Latin reciprocus, which meant 'moving backward and forward.' It was used to describe the motion of the tides. Just as the ocean wave rolls in and then rolls back out, a reciprocated gesture is one that flows back to the person who initiated it.
Word relationships
- return: Return is a general term for giving something back, while reciprocate specifically implies returning a social gesture, favor, or feeling in a matching way.
- withhold: Withhold means to refuse to give something back, failing to complete the cycle of exchange.
Commonly confused with
- retaliate: Retaliate means to return like for like, but specifically returning a negative action, harm, or insult, whereas reciprocate is usually positive or neutral.
Word family
- reciprocity (noun): The practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit.
- reciprocal (adjective): Given, felt, or done in return.
Collocations
- reciprocate a favor
- reciprocate feelings
- fail to reciprocate
- reciprocate the gesture
Idioms & expressions
- scratch my back and I'll scratch yours
Example sentences
- "When someone does us a favor, we feel a powerful, almost biological urge to reciprocate." An essay on social psychology and human behavior.
Memory hook
Think of 're-' (back) and 'pro-' (forward). To reciprocate is to move 'back and forward'—you do something for me, and I do something for you in return. The back-and-forth flow of favors.
When not to use
Do not use when you are merely paying a bill or fulfilling a legal contract; it must involve a voluntary social or professional gesture.
Fun facts
- The 'rule of reciprocity' is a powerful psychological trigger; marketers often give away free samples because they know consumers feel a subconscious urge to reciprocate by buying the product.
Related words
Explore more words
reciprocal, reciprocity, Interact, requital, retaliate, lend
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.