retaliates

Definition of retaliatesnext
present tense third-person singular of retaliate
as in avenges
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

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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 retaliates The former employees claim in the filing McFadden frequently retaliates against critics. Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 5 Jan. 2026 With the help of Carlton, Will retaliates by using a baseball bat, attempting to smash the vehicle beyond repair. Giana Levy, Variety, 24 Nov. 2025 Marx retaliates by pulling a string of his own, getting Grossbart back on the list of soldiers headed to the Pacific, potentially turning his co-religionist into cannon fodder. Andrew Ridker, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025 Continue reading … CROSSING THE LINE – Ravens' Lamar Jackson retaliates against fan after being smacked in helmet. FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2025 Punitive measures in the new policy apply to any person who retaliates against others for reporting or complaining of violations of this policy. Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retaliates
avenges
Verb
  • This is a significant result for Turkovic, who avenges a loss to Sewing at the 2025 NYC Open.
    Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Retaliates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retaliates. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.

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