vendetta

noun

ven·​det·​ta ven-ˈde-tə How to pronounce vendetta (audio)
1
2
: an often prolonged series of retaliatory, vengeful, or hostile acts or exchange of such acts
waged a personal vendetta against those who opposed his nomination

Did you know?

Vendetta has been getting even in English since the 19th century, when it first was used to refer to feuds between different clans or families. It later extended in meaning to cover acts that are known to feature in feuds of all kinds. English speakers borrowed vendetta, spelling and all, from Italian, in which it means "revenge." It ultimately traces to the Latin verb vindicta, of the same meaning. That Latin word is also in the family tree of many other English terms related to getting even, including avenge, revenge, vengeance, vindicate, and vindictive.

Examples of vendetta in a Sentence

He waged a personal vendetta against his rivals in the Senate.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But an Indian uprising against the U.K. overall is replaced by Nemo (Shazad Latif) having a personal vendetta against the British East India Mercantile Company specifically. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 25 June 2025 Some are looking to expose what goes on in the shadows for reasons ranging from ethics and curiosity to personal vendetta. Can Yildizli, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025 Similarly, the Department of Government Efficiency has focused on political vendettas instead of balancing the budget or solving real-world problems. Alexander Heffner, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2025 This new, more critical vision of the tech founders risks echoing Musk’s vendetta against Hassabis—inflating contingent figures into supervillains, out of ambient anxiety. Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for vendetta

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Italian, "retribution, revenge, blood feud," going back to Latin vindicta — more at vindictive

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of vendetta was in 1855

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Cite this Entry

“Vendetta.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vendetta. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

vendetta

noun
ven·​det·​ta ven-ˈdet-ə How to pronounce vendetta (audio)
1
: a feud between different families
2
: a series of acts marked by bitter hostility and motivated by a desire for revenge
waged a personal vendetta against those who opposed his candidacy
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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