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
On two separate occasions earlier in March, Rick Nicholson brushed the chest of two female players while attempting to swat away insects, according to the parents of three players who spoke on condition of anonymity because of concerns that their daughters might face reprisals.
—
Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 9 Apr. 2026
Her return to Venezuela would be combustible—Rodríguez has already threatened reprisals—but potentially transformative.
—Boris Muñoz, Time, 3 Apr. 2026
With him was 35-year-old Hani, a technically minded cousin who spearheaded the effort to understand how the abduction took place, and who gave only his first name to avoid reprisals.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Beijing, which regards the self-governing island as part of its territory, has since stepped up diplomatic and trade reprisals against Japan.
—ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, the movie’s villains — played by recognizable faces, among them Heather Graham and Tom Felton — get pretty much zero by way of personality, or even superficial nastiness, making Asia’s reprisals a whole lot less entertaining.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
Barzani’s movement collapsed within weeks, and Iraqi forces launched reprisals that displaced hundreds of thousands of Kurdish civilians.
—John Calabrese, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2026
The witness spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
On the Facebook post, commenters hinted that the reason may be fear of reprisals from area gangs.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 27 Feb. 2026
Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 9 Apr. 2026
Her return to Venezuela would be combustible—Rodríguez has already threatened reprisals—but potentially transformative.
—Boris Muñoz, Time, 3 Apr. 2026
With him was 35-year-old Hani, a technically minded cousin who spearheaded the effort to understand how the abduction took place, and who gave only his first name to avoid reprisals.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Beijing, which regards the self-governing island as part of its territory, has since stepped up diplomatic and trade reprisals against Japan.
—ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, the movie’s villains — played by recognizable faces, among them Heather Graham and Tom Felton — get pretty much zero by way of personality, or even superficial nastiness, making Asia’s reprisals a whole lot less entertaining.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
Barzani’s movement collapsed within weeks, and Iraqi forces launched reprisals that displaced hundreds of thousands of Kurdish civilians.
—John Calabrese, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2026
The witness spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
On the Facebook post, commenters hinted that the reason may be fear of reprisals from area gangs.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reprisals
Noun
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Mayor Johnson launched a Chicago reparations task force in 2024.—
Aida Mogos,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Tehran’s demands included the release of frozen assets, guarantees around its nuclear program, the right to charge ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, an end to Israeli attacks on Hezbollah and war reparations.—
Farah N. Jan,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Mediators are pushing for a compromise on three main sticking points that derailed direct talks last weekend — Iran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz and compensation for wartime damages, according to a regional official involved in the mediation efforts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
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The judge in the case will now determine the total damages amount and penalties, according to California Attorney General Rob Bonta's office, which was part of the lawsuit.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reprisals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reprisals. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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