strike back
verb
struck back; striking back; strikes back
: to hurt someone in return
struck back at their enemies for the attack
Examples of strike back in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In 2016, the Empire struck back when the building’s lease was purchased from the MOD—for 250 years—for $440 million by the global conglomerate The Hinduja Group, founded in Shikarpur and Bombay in 1914 and led by Gopichand Hinduja, an Indian billionaire.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 2026
Around 2023, vigilante groups began to emerge in the Caribbean nation to strike back against gangs sucking the life from Haiti.
—ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
In 2020, Trump struck back in late-night tweets.
—David Blumenthal, STAT, 24 Mar. 2026
But the women serving the longest sentences were typically those who had struck back at their abusers.
—Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for strike back
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.
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 2026
Around 2023, vigilante groups began to emerge in the Caribbean nation to strike back against gangs sucking the life from Haiti.
—ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
In 2020, Trump struck back in late-night tweets.
—David Blumenthal, STAT, 24 Mar. 2026
But the women serving the longest sentences were typically those who had struck back at their abusers.
—Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for strike back
Cite this Entry
“Strike back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strike%20back. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
