as in to avenge
to punish in kind the wrongdoer responsible for retaliated his neighbor's malicious destruction of his flower garden by cutting down the man's prize apple tree

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb retaliate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of retaliate are reciprocate, requite, and return. While all these words mean "to give back usually in kind or in quantity," retaliate usually implies a paying back of injury in exact kind, often vengefully.

the enemy retaliated by executing their prisoners

When is reciprocate a more appropriate choice than retaliate?

While in some cases nearly identical to retaliate, 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

Where would requite be a reasonable alternative to retaliate?

While the synonyms requite and retaliate are close in meaning, requite implies a paying back according to one's preference and often not equivalently.

requited her love with cold indifference

When could return be used to replace retaliate?

The words return and retaliate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, return implies a paying or giving back.

returned their call
return good for evil

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of retaliate Cuomo retaliated by harping on Mamdani’s inexperience in government. Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 23 Oct. 2025 When Mark Henrikson, another sixth grade teacher, was placed on administrative leave earlier this month, parents believed he was being retaliated against by the school district for speaking out on behalf of his former colleague. Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2025 Congress could hold hearings to examine whether senior officials disregarded judicial directives or retaliated against career lawyers. Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025 The defense was able to add a score, as Neil Everitt retaliated with a pick-six of his own, returning it 42 yards for the score. Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for retaliate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retaliate
avenge
Verb
  • The Eagles’ task of the week involves avenging their loss to the Giants in Week 6.
    Mike Jones, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
  • In Mutiny, after witnessing his billionaire boss’ murder and being framed for the crime, Cole Reed (Statham) boards a cargo ship on a one-man crusade to avenge his boss’ death only to discover an international conspiracy.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Retaliate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retaliate. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on retaliate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!