avenge

verb

avenged; avenging

transitive verb

1
: to take vengeance for or on behalf of
vowed to avenge their murdered father
2
: to exact satisfaction for (a wrong) by punishing the wrongdoer
was determined to avenge the assault
avenger noun

Examples of avenge in a Sentence

The brothers vowed to avenge the death of their father. They vowed to avenge their father by capturing and punishing his killer.
Recent Examples on the Web And then, the home opener April 4, when the Tigers can finally avenge their regular-season-ending series loss to the White Sox. Ryan Ford, Detroit Free Press, 14 Oct. 2024 But before that, the film is kind to Billy and shows the extenuating circumstances that led to his death — namely, his attempt to avenge the brutal murder of his employer, rancher John Tunstall, by a sheriff’s posse. Bulletin Board, Twin Cities, 6 Oct. 2024 One that could topple the rival neighboring kingdom of Wu, improve the lives of her people, and avenge her sister’s murder. Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 20 Sep. 2024 If your favorite taco shop didn't make the list of finalists last year, consider this your chance to avenge them. Endia Fontanez, The Arizona Republic, 17 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for avenge 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'avenge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French avenger, from a- (from Latin ad-) + venger to avenge — more at vengeance

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of avenge was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near avenge

Cite this Entry

“Avenge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avenge. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

avenge

verb
avenged; avenging
: to take vengeance for (an action) or on behalf of (a person)
avenger noun

More from Merriam-Webster on avenge

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!