Synonyms of retaliating

retaliating

verb

present participle of retaliate

as in avenging

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

• avenging
• revenging
• punishing
• redressing
• requiting
• getting even (for)
• penalizing
• venging
• disciplining
• chastising
• castigating
• correcting
• repaying
• scourging
• compensating
• fixing
• chastening
• righting
• getting
• paying (back)
• recompensing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• excusing
• forgiving
• remitting
• condoning
• pardoning
• absolving

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of retaliating

The police union, meanwhile, is accusing Suarez of calling in favors and then retaliating. — Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2026

When Iran launched a barrage of missiles and drones at Israel in April 2024, Israel highlighted its success at defending its territory before retaliating with precision strikes against Iranian military targets. — Erik Lin-Greenberg, Foreign Affairs, 31 July 2026

Baldoni denied ever harassing Lively or retaliating against her. — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 31 July 2026

The attacks again raised the possibility that Gulf Arab states were retaliating against Iran without discussing it in public. — Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026

Brooks, a South Carolina congressman, was retaliating for a speech Sumner had given condemning slavery and personally insulting a relative of Brooks. — Paul Quigley, The Conversation, 13 July 2026

Those attacks on Iran raised the possibility that Gulf Arab states were retaliating. — Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 13 July 2026

The New York Times filed a counterclaim Friday against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, accusing the agency of retaliating against the publication for its reporting via a race- and gender-based discrimination lawsuit. — Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 10 July 2026

Israel launched airstrikes on Beirut over the weekend, which led to Iran retaliating with its own strike on Israel. — Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 10 June 2026