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retaliate

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of retaliate

to punish in kind the wrongdoer responsible for
  • He retaliated his neighbor's malicious destruction of his flower garden by cutting down the man's prize apple tree.
Synonyms of retaliate

avenge, redress, requite, revenge
Words Related to retaliate

castigate, fix, get, penalize, punish, scourge

chasten, chastise, correct, discipline

right

compensate, pay (back), recompense, repay
Phrases Synonymous with retaliate

get even (for)
Near Antonyms of retaliate

absolve, condone, excuse, forgive, pardon, remit

Synonym Discussion of retaliate

reciprocate, retaliate, requite, return mean to give back usually in kind or in quantity. reciprocate implies a mutual or equivalent exchange or a paying back of what one has received.
    • reciprocated their hospitality by inviting them for a visit
retaliate usually implies a paying back of injury in exact kind, often vengefully.
    • the enemy retaliated by executing their prisoners
requite implies a paying back according to one's preference and often not equivalently.
    • requited her love with cold indifference
return implies a paying or giving back.
    • returned their call
    • return good for evil

Learn More about retaliate

  1. See words that rhyme with retaliate Dictionary: Definition of retaliate Spanish Central: Translation of retaliate Nglish: Translation of retaliate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of retaliate for Arabic speakers

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