retributive
adjective
re·trib·u·tive
ri-ˈtri-byə-tiv 
: of, relating to, or marked by retribution
retributive justice
retributively
adverb
Examples of retributive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Any government action against a licensee would cause a protracted legal battle, even more so given the current media-bashing climate, because a station would likely cite Trump’s retributive streak and mount a First Amendment case.
—
Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 15 Mar. 2026
The images captured by bystanders and immigration agents were reminiscent of the lynching postcards that white spectators once bought and traded — reproductions of retributive violence, tailor-made to titillate and intimidate.
—Tressie McMillan Cottom, Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2026
For millennia, punishment was considered morally defensible purely on retributive grounds.
—Paul Rosenzweig, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
Instead, Trump is reinforcing a pattern of tit-for-tat retributive permitting that could ultimately be more damaging to the oil and gas industry, which is under pressure to maintain market share in the US and globally before the economy shifts more to clean energy.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for retributive
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Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 15 Mar. 2026
The images captured by bystanders and immigration agents were reminiscent of the lynching postcards that white spectators once bought and traded — reproductions of retributive violence, tailor-made to titillate and intimidate.
—Tressie McMillan Cottom, Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2026
For millennia, punishment was considered morally defensible purely on retributive grounds.
—Paul Rosenzweig, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
Instead, Trump is reinforcing a pattern of tit-for-tat retributive permitting that could ultimately be more damaging to the oil and gas industry, which is under pressure to maintain market share in the US and globally before the economy shifts more to clean energy.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for retributive
Cite this Entry
“Retributive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retributive. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
retributive
adjective
re·trib·u·tive
ri-ˈtrib-yət-iv
: of, relating to, or marked by retribution
retributive justice
retributively
adverb
Legal Definition
retributive
adjective
re·trib·u·tive
ri-ˈtri-byə-tiv
: of, relating to, or marked by retribution
retributive justice
retributively
adverb
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