retaliatory

adjective

Definition of retaliatorynext
as in revengeful

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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 retaliatory These attacks were often met by retaliatory operations that saw the insurgents suffer significant casualties. — Chinatsu Tsuji, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026 Oxygen Forensics denied those claims and sued Weissberg for defamation in August in federal court in Virginia, calling the video part of a retaliatory campaign. — Anniek Bao,dan Mangan, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026 Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed nearly 74,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its figures but says around half were women and children. — Joseph Krauss, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026 Mohsen Rezaee, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said countries that cooperate with measures limiting Iranian commercial flights could face retaliatory action. — Adrienne Vogt, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026 Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed more than 73,264 Palestinians, including those killed since the ceasefire, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. — CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026 Trade talks between the two collapsed last month, triggering retaliatory tariffs between the North American neighbors. — Mariam Khan, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026 Editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, publisher Max Lederer, and reporter Lara Korte at Stars and Stripes – a military news outlet that is partially funded by the Pentagon – claimed their dismissals were retaliatory and violated the First Amendment. — Miles J. Herszenhorn, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026 Patients can also harm their clinicians through retaliatory filings of complaints. — Jennifer Adaeze Okwerekwu, STAT, 1 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retaliatory
  1. revengeful
  2. retributive
  3. punitive
  4. disciplinary
  5. penal
Adjective
  • DeMar DeRozan had 32, Russell Westbrook had a revengeful 22 and Malik Monk had 26 off the bench.
    — Zach Harper, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
  • Brian Heil played Don Jose with angst and ultimately, revengeful rage as Carmen’s spurned lover.
    — Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Dec. 2025
Definition of revengeful
Adjective
  • The interviewees were willing to talk openly and honestly about Trump covered by anonymity, a necessity to protect them from this fiercely thin-skinned and retributive president.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 25 June 2026
  • And there’s no question that Israel was pursuing both a political agenda as well as retributive-justice agenda.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 June 2026
Definition of retributive
Adjective
  • Rather than imposing more punitive rules on all shoppers, however, retailers should identify high-risk returns and apply additional verification selectively to protect the customer experience for the vast swathe of legitimate patrons.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The measure would have barred Switzerland from joining punitive measures against other countries unless they were imposed by the United Nations.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of punitive
Adjective
  • That same day, at least one student received a disciplinary notice asking them to schedule a meeting with the student conduct administrator in less than two weeks.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The court documents show at least one fraternity member is fighting in court to overturn the disciplinary action against him and clear his academic record.
    — Susan Svrluga, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of disciplinary
Adjective
  • Their ruling states that investigators should not have cited penal law as justification for seizing the artwork, and reproaches a lower court’s previous approval of their methods.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • She had originally been charged with abuse of residents of penal facilities, a felony.
    — Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of penal

Browse Nearby Words

retaliative
retaliatory
retard
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Cite this Entry

“Retaliatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retaliatory. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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