as in retaliation
the act or an instance of responding to an injury with an injury
both sides were determined to get revenge for perceived wrongs and showed little interest in ending the feud
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to avenge
to punish in kind the wrongdoer responsible for
a man who took matters into his own hands and revenged the death of his brother
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of revenge
Angelique Jackson, Variety, 19 Mar. 2026
Well, in all seriousness, quite a few characters in this story are pursuing their own revenge plots.
—Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
For most readers Alexandre Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo is simply the classic novel of revenge.
—Michael Dirda, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026
Mojtaba Khamenei vowed revenge Wednesday after the killing of senior security official Ali Larijani in an Israeli strike.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for revenge
Noun
Renata is living her best life — revenge is sweet.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 19 Mar. 2026
Well, in all seriousness, quite a few characters in this story are pursuing their own revenge plots.
—Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
For most readers Alexandre Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo is simply the classic novel of revenge.
—Michael Dirda, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026
Mojtaba Khamenei vowed revenge Wednesday after the killing of senior security official Ali Larijani in an Israeli strike.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for revenge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for revenge
Noun
-
Recent strikes on Qatar’s vast Ras Laffan natural gas processing facility, which was hit by two Iranian missiles last week in retaliation for an Israeli strike on the Iranian South Pars gas field, sent shockwaves through the global energy markets, surging already highly elevated global prices.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Iranian state media has framed the overnight attacks on Israel as retaliation for the bombing of the Natanz nuclear facility.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Now, the country is wracked by the terror of a new, heavier bombardment, with more than 1,000 dead since March 2, when Hezbollah fired projectiles into Israel to avenge the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, sparking Israeli retaliation.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Iran’s army chief has threatened to avenge the deaths of top Iranian officials killed by Israel, state media reported.—
Yarden Segev,
NBC news,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The person asked not to be identified for fear of retribution.—
Erika Edwards,
NBC news,
24 Mar. 2026
-
One source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, was interviewed by two FBI agents last July at the agency’s office near Kansas City International Airport.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The vehement desire for vengeance grows within the population as well, and hopes of a just future for Iran dwindle.—
Jason Rezaian,
New Yorker,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The families are caught in a world filled with passion, vengeance and a very special episode of Shakespearean proportions.—
Hema Sivanandam,
Mercury News,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Revenge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/revenge. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
