avenge

verb

ə-ˈvenj 

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

Synonyms of avenge

• revenge
• retaliate
• punish

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

The Raiders avenged their loss to the Mustangs in their first matchup on April 8 at Sonora. —Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 30 Apr. 2026

Current political events offer a seemingly endless procession of cruelties worth avenging. —Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026

Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2 by firing rockets at Israel to avenge the death of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei, with Israel responding with strikes and a ground invasion. —April 27, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026

Police now believe that the men who shot and killed Hughes were members of a Central Richmond gang, deadset on avenging a comrade who was gunned down in Oakland 10 days earlier. —Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026

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

Phrases Containing avenge

• avenge oneself

Rhymes for avenge

• revenge

Kids Definition

avenge

verb

ə-ˈvenj 

avenged; avenging

: to take vengeance for (an action) or on behalf of (a person)

avenger noun