get back at (someone)

idiom

informal
: to do something bad or unpleasant to (someone who has treated one badly or unfairly)
After he lost his job, he vowed that he would find a way to get back at his old boss.

Examples of get back at (someone) in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The two eventually hatch a plan to get back at their exes by pretending to be together, but things take a turn when the pair just might unexpectedly fall in love. Lexy Perez, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 July 2024 In the original film, best friend duo Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin star alongside Parton as working women who want to get back at their misogynistic boss, played by the late Dabney Coleman. Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 4 June 2024 There’s some self-awareness — when Jaheim begins flirting with Rupert’s girlfriend Florence (Rosie Graham) to get back at his tormenter, Florence immediately recognizes and comments on his motivations — but not so much that Boarders ever risks collapsing in on itself. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2024 As Beane explains to his team, the two acted as card counters who were ready to get back at the casino — or teams with astronomical budgets and star power. Derek Scancarelli, EW.com, 18 Dec. 2023 See all Example Sentences for get back at (someone) 

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

Dictionary Entries Near get back at (someone)

Cite this Entry

“Get back at (someone).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%20back%20at%20%28someone%29. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.

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!