as in reparation
payment to another for a loss or injury
a peace agreement that was rejected because it contained no provisions for reprisals
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Recent Examples of reprisals
The worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, said schools have suspended classes and markets are only partially open because of the attacks.
—
ABC News, 11 June 2026
Hansen, a carriage horse driver herself, said the decision to stay off the streets was part heartbreak for Deniz and part fear of reprisals.
—Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 10 June 2026
And many fear reprisals from the government for speaking out.
—Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 7 June 2026
Candidates who challenge the powerful can draw strong but silent support, because there is open fear of reprisals from city officials against those who back any challenger to the people in charge.
—Susan Shelley, Oc Register, 30 May 2026
Global economic outlook worsens over Iran war The US and Iran appeared still willing to reach a peace deal despite American strikes and Tehran’s threats of reprisals — but the global economic fallout from the conflict deepened.
—semafor.com, 29 May 2026
During the McCarthy era, overreaching laws, surveillance, and public and private sector reprisals ostensibly targeted alleged communists.
—Bruce Schneier, The Conversation, 27 May 2026
The residence of Mali’s defense minister, Sadio Camara, was heavily damaged by an explosion during the attack, a nearby shopkeeper told the AP, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
—Mark Banchereau, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Maykol, a 25-year-old Havana resident who asked me to use just his first name to avoid regime reprisals, told me that lengthy power outages, already frequent before January, now occur daily.
—Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 11 June 2026
Hansen, a carriage horse driver herself, said the decision to stay off the streets was part heartbreak for Deniz and part fear of reprisals.
—Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 10 June 2026
And many fear reprisals from the government for speaking out.
—Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 7 June 2026
Candidates who challenge the powerful can draw strong but silent support, because there is open fear of reprisals from city officials against those who back any challenger to the people in charge.
—Susan Shelley, Oc Register, 30 May 2026
Global economic outlook worsens over Iran war The US and Iran appeared still willing to reach a peace deal despite American strikes and Tehran’s threats of reprisals — but the global economic fallout from the conflict deepened.
—semafor.com, 29 May 2026
During the McCarthy era, overreaching laws, surveillance, and public and private sector reprisals ostensibly targeted alleged communists.
—Bruce Schneier, The Conversation, 27 May 2026
The residence of Mali’s defense minister, Sadio Camara, was heavily damaged by an explosion during the attack, a nearby shopkeeper told the AP, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
—Mark Banchereau, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Maykol, a 25-year-old Havana resident who asked me to use just his first name to avoid regime reprisals, told me that lengthy power outages, already frequent before January, now occur daily.
—Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reprisals
Noun
-
Amid public outrage over the abuse crisis, Spain launched a reparations system earlier this year for clerical abuse cases too old to be prosecuted that requires the participation of the Catholic Church and the Spanish government.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
-
Spain launched a reparations system this year Amid public outrage over the abuse crisis, Spain launched a reparations system earlier this year for clerical abuse cases too old to be prosecuted that requires the participation of the Catholic Church and the Spanish government.—
Suman Naishadham,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
The Iskanders sued Grossman and Erickson, and last week a jury found the pair liable in the boys’ deaths, awarding $176 million in damages to parents Nancy and Karim Iskander and younger son Zachary for wrongful death and emotional distress.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
-
Though the lawsuit seeks upwards of $1 million in damages, the woman said, the effort isn’t about money.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reprisals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reprisals. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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