vengeance

noun

ven·​geance ˈven-jən(t)s How to pronounce vengeance (audio)
: punishment inflicted in retaliation for an injury or offense : retribution
Phrases
with a vengeance
1
: with great force or vehemence
undertook reform with a vengeance
2
: to an extreme or excessive degree
the tourists are back—with a vengeance

Examples of vengeance in a Sentence

He thought briefly of the long-dead woman bound to this stone in 1654 and burnt alive as a witch. And for what? An over-sharp tongue, delusions, mental eccentricity, to satisfy a private vengeance, the need for a scapegoat in times of sickness or the failure of a harvest, or perhaps as a sacrifice to propitiate a malignant unnamed god? P. D. James, The Private Patient, 2008
Unlike the type of cannibalism much of the world had come to know—among desperate explorers, marooned sailors, and victims of famine—the Cinta Larga's consumption of human flesh was born not out of necessity but out of vengeance and an adherence to tribal traditions and ceremony. Candice Millard, The River of Doubt, 2005
As it turns out, police crackdowns in the 1990's did not so much destroy Los Angeles street gangs as temporarily displace them to Central America. Soon they returned with a vengeance; gang-related homicide rose 50 percent between 1999 and 2002. Richard Brookhiser, New York Times Book Review, 9 Jan. 2005
He is trying to do in his corner of Texas what death-penalty opponents say is impossible: enforce capital punishment flawlessly, ensuring that the innocent never spend a day on death row and the guilty are sent there only after trials free of bias and vengeance. John Cloud, Time, 14 July 2003
A holy war may be launched to root out terrorism, but its form must be a punitive crusade, an angry god's vengeance exacted upon sinners, since no proper war can exist when there is no recognition of the other's list of grievances, no awareness of the relentless dynamic binding the powerful and powerless. John Edgar Wideman, Harper's, March 2002
The fire was set as an act of vengeance. Angry protesters wanted to inflict vengeance on the killer.
Recent Examples on the Web The very next year, the Oscars once again snubbed actors of color and Reign’s hashtag resurfaced with a vengeance, prompting the academy to make long-overdue changes to diversify its voting body. The New York Times Brooks Barnes, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024 After missing just his second game this season in a loss at Oklahoma City, Jokic returned with a vengeance to shepherd the Nuggets to a 120-108 win over the Trail Blazers on Friday night. Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 3 Feb. 2024 But The Love Witch director Anna Biller inverted that trope in her 2016 film by using turquoise shadow as a signifier of heroine Elaine’s agency and deadly power — a witch who lures men into her trap, coloring them objects of her own desire and later, vengeance. Emily Leibert, Allure, 25 Jan. 2024 The Cowboys wanted vengeance for the last-minute defeat in the 1966 NFL championship game. Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2024 In landing an exclusive interview with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia — released on Thursday on the social network X and Mr. Carlson’s own streaming site, Tucker Carlson Network — the host has returned with a vengeance to the center of American politics. Michael M. Grynbaum, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2024 The film stays in the perspective of an unstoppable killer/monster named Johnny who frequently uses very sharp objects to prey on campers, rangers, hikers and a crotchety old cuss — all in acts of vengeance for the evil that has been perpetrated on him. Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2024 Leadership ability is best assessed by vision for unity over the long haul ahead, not on vengeance for divisions in the past. Dean Minnich, Baltimore Sun, 28 Jan. 2024 Jason Statham stars as Adam Clay, a man who seeks vengeance on the call center that scams one of his friends (played by Phylicia Rashad). William Earl, Variety, 11 Jan. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English vengeaunce, borrowed from Anglo-French, from venger "to exact satisfaction for" (going back to Latin vindicāre "to lay claim to, exact retribution for") + -aunce -ance — more at vindicate

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of vengeance was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near vengeance

Cite this Entry

“Vengeance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vengeance. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

vengeance

noun
ven·​geance ˈven-jən(t)s How to pronounce vengeance (audio)
: punishment given in return for an injury or offense : retribution

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