as in revenge
the act or an instance of responding to an injury with an injury
police believe that the murder was in retaliation for an earlier gangland execution
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Recent Examples of retaliation
Top-ranking Iranian officials threatened retaliation.
—
ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
The complaint also alleges retaliation over his frequent safety concerns and suggests that the water drinking incident was a way for United to justify his termination.
—Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
The women asked not to be named out of fear of retaliation by Swalwell or professional consequences for speaking out against him.
—Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2026
The employee is seeking employment elsewhere in the district and wished to keep their identity anonymous for fear of retaliation.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2026
The District Court judge handling the case in California, Biden appointee Rita Lin, described the Anthropic blacklisting as retaliation that violates the First Amendment.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2026
Several dentists who spoke with the Tribune said fear of retaliation is real; some declined to speak on the record.
—Jack O'Connor, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Handala claimed the hack was in retaliation for strikes that killed Iranian schoolchildren.
—David Klepper, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
Daniel Carde / Getty Images And Israeli forces launched new attacks Thursday, issuing fresh evacuation orders for neighborhoods in Beirut, with Hezbollah also striking northern Israel in retaliation.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 9 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
The complaint also alleges retaliation over his frequent safety concerns and suggests that the water drinking incident was a way for United to justify his termination.
—Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
The women asked not to be named out of fear of retaliation by Swalwell or professional consequences for speaking out against him.
—Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2026
The employee is seeking employment elsewhere in the district and wished to keep their identity anonymous for fear of retaliation.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2026
The District Court judge handling the case in California, Biden appointee Rita Lin, described the Anthropic blacklisting as retaliation that violates the First Amendment.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2026
Several dentists who spoke with the Tribune said fear of retaliation is real; some declined to speak on the record.
—Jack O'Connor, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Handala claimed the hack was in retaliation for strikes that killed Iranian schoolchildren.
—David Klepper, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
Daniel Carde / Getty Images And Israeli forces launched new attacks Thursday, issuing fresh evacuation orders for neighborhoods in Beirut, with Hezbollah also striking northern Israel in retaliation.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retaliation
Noun
-
There were executions, mostly of the revenge variety, and not ordered by the politburo in Hanoi.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
And the Knicks better be ready, ready for the Celtics to attempt to exact some revenge for the way things ended a season ago.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The doctor asked to be identified by a pseudonym, citing fears of professional retribution.—
Michal Ruprecht,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Even if there were no hostile government left in place, people within society who have lost everything may still be driven to seek retribution.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Retaliation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retaliation. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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