answer、reply、respond、retort与return这些动词均有“回答”之意。
answer ：常用词，指用书面、口头或行动对他人的请求、询问、质问等作出回答或反应。
- I repeated the question, but she didn't answer.
我把问题重复了一遍，但是她仍没有回答。
reply ：较正式用词，较少用于口语。侧重经过考虑的较正式答复。
- The terrorists replied to the government's statement with more violence.
恐怖分子以更多的暴力事件来回应政府的声明。
respond ：正式用词，指即刻的，以口头或行动对外来的号召、请求或刺激等作出回答或响应。
- I asked him his name, but he didn't respond.
我问他叫什么名字，可他没回答。 - When asked about the company's future, the director responded that he remained optimistic.
问到公司的未来的时候，经理回答说他依然乐观。
retort ：指对不同意见、批评或控诉作出迅速、有力或机智的回答，即“反驳”。
- 那个衣冠楚楚、野心勃勃的政客以反问答问。
The sleek and ambitious politician retorted a question by another question. - She was about to retort but something checked the words on her tongue.
她刚要抢白两句，可是话到嘴边又咽了回去。
——《尤利西斯》（Ulysses）
（拓展学习：小词详解 | retort）
return ：正式用词，从本义“归来，回去”引申作“回答、答辨”讲时，含反驳或反唇相讥之意。
- I returned his stare.
我回瞪了他一眼。
