revenged; revenging
1
: to avenge (oneself or another) usually by retaliating in kind or degree
2
: to inflict injury in return for
revenge an insult
revenger
noun
1
: a desire for vengeance or retribution
motivated by revenge
2
: an act or instance of retaliating in order to get even
plotted her revenge
3
: an opportunity for getting satisfaction
sought revenge through a rematch
Synonyms
Examples of revenge in a Sentence
Verb
a man who took matters into his own hands and revenged the death of his brother
Noun
She swore that she would have her revenge.
She wants revenge against her enemies.
The bombing was in revenge for the assassination of their leader.
The team is seeking revenge for the loss earlier in the season.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024
Lincoln-Way West 12-3 (4) Connor Studer lifts Warriors to revenge win over Plainfield North, fifth place at Tiger Classic.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 18 Apr. 2023
On the day of the wedding, Pap’s ghost arrives, under a gingham tablecloth, to pin the crime on Rev and spur Juicy to revenge.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2023
What a leaker or whistleblower’s motivation is varies from altruism and transparency to revenge and ruin.
—Anne Marie Malecha, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2023
Call it revenge inflation spending.
—Rachel Wolfe, WSJ, 24 Jan. 2023
How will revenge glamour be best served?
—Leena Kim, Town & Country, 19 Apr. 2021
Can Dak lead the Cowboys to revenge and secure a divisional round spot?
—Chris Ilenstine, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2023
At the back of the book, the index provides a space for reference—and sometimes revenge.
—Wsj Books Staff, WSJ, 11 Feb. 2022
Joseph Federman, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2024
Iran has publicly and repeatedly vowed revenge for the April 1 airstrike on its embassy complex in the Syrian capital, Damascus, which killed three generals and four officers from its elite Quds Force, an arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
—Thomas Fuller, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
That a slave could take revenge against an emperor.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 11 Apr. 2024
Immediately after the attack, Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, publicly blamed Israel and vowed revenge.
—Javed Ali, The Conversation, 11 Apr. 2024
Driven by a desire for revenge, Mila is convinced by her mother Daka (Iazua Lariuos) to travel far away to learn magical arts that can only be taught to men.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 9 Apr. 2024
As revenge, Rahu periodically eats the Sun—creating eclipses.
—Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
Patel’s revenge film exists between these two extremes, with contradictory optics stemming from images whose creation is well-intended, but whose meaning grows more incongruous and disconcerting as the current events of India’s thorny political climate fades into view.
—Siddhant Adlakha, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
The win catapulted the Pioneers (30-9-3) to the Frozen Four, and exacted a measure of revenge in the process.
—Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2024
Verb
Through such details do writers revenge themselves on life.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024
Lincoln-Way West 12-3 (4) Connor Studer lifts Warriors to revenge win over Plainfield North, fifth place at Tiger Classic.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 18 Apr. 2023
On the day of the wedding, Pap’s ghost arrives, under a gingham tablecloth, to pin the crime on Rev and spur Juicy to revenge.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2023
What a leaker or whistleblower’s motivation is varies from altruism and transparency to revenge and ruin.
—Anne Marie Malecha, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2023
Call it revenge inflation spending.
—Rachel Wolfe, WSJ, 24 Jan. 2023
How will revenge glamour be best served?
—Leena Kim, Town & Country, 19 Apr. 2021
Can Dak lead the Cowboys to revenge and secure a divisional round spot?
—Chris Ilenstine, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2023
At the back of the book, the index provides a space for reference—and sometimes revenge.
—Wsj Books Staff, WSJ, 11 Feb. 2022
Noun
Iran had vowed revenge since the April 1 airstrike in Syria, which Tehran accused Israel of being responsible for.
—Joseph Federman, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2024
Iran has publicly and repeatedly vowed revenge for the April 1 airstrike on its embassy complex in the Syrian capital, Damascus, which killed three generals and four officers from its elite Quds Force, an arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
—Thomas Fuller, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
That a slave could take revenge against an emperor.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 11 Apr. 2024
Immediately after the attack, Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, publicly blamed Israel and vowed revenge.
—Javed Ali, The Conversation, 11 Apr. 2024
Driven by a desire for revenge, Mila is convinced by her mother Daka (Iazua Lariuos) to travel far away to learn magical arts that can only be taught to men.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 9 Apr. 2024
As revenge, Rahu periodically eats the Sun—creating eclipses.
—Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
Patel’s revenge film exists between these two extremes, with contradictory optics stemming from images whose creation is well-intended, but whose meaning grows more incongruous and disconcerting as the current events of India’s thorny political climate fades into view.
—Siddhant Adlakha, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
The win catapulted the Pioneers (30-9-3) to the Frozen Four, and exacted a measure of revenge in the process.
—Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'revenge.' 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 revenge
Cite this Entry
“Revenge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/revenge. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
revenge
1 of 2 verb
re·venge
ri-ˈvenj 
revenged; revenging
1
: to get even for a wrong done
revenge myself on my enemies
2
: to give injury in return for
revenge an insult
revenger
noun
revenge
2 of 2 noun1
: a desire to pay back injury for injury
2
: an act or instance of revenging
3
: a chance for getting satisfaction
revengeful
adjective
-fəl
revengefully
adverb
-fə-lē
revengefulness
noun
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