as in revengeful
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Recent Examples of retaliatory
His announcement came a week after a Suffolk Superior Court judge decided to allow a lawsuit that alleges retaliatory assessment practices by the city to proceed.
—
Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 26 May 2026
In response, Iran launched waves of retaliatory strikes across the Middle East and effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz.
—Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 24 May 2026
The prosecutor’s subjective good faith does not cure the retaliatory taint.
—Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
The ministry overall says Israel’s retaliatory strikes in the war have devastated the Palestinian enclave and killed more than 72,700 people.
—Samy Magdy, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
Gulf territories such as the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have borne the brunt of Iran’s retaliatory strikes but are pushing on with plans to expand to place in the international film business.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 12 May 2026
North Korea has updated its constitution to require a retaliatory nuclear strike if leader Kim Jong Un is assassinated, according to a report.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 10 May 2026
Then came the news that Lively’s team is still going after Baldoni to try and recoup damages and legal fees from Baldoni’s retaliatory defamation lawsuit.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2026
The Iranian government's retaliatory blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane for the oil market, has led to severe trade disruptions.
—Will Lennon, ABC News, 8 May 2026
Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 26 May 2026
In response, Iran launched waves of retaliatory strikes across the Middle East and effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz.
—Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 24 May 2026
The prosecutor’s subjective good faith does not cure the retaliatory taint.
—Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
The ministry overall says Israel’s retaliatory strikes in the war have devastated the Palestinian enclave and killed more than 72,700 people.
—Samy Magdy, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
Gulf territories such as the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have borne the brunt of Iran’s retaliatory strikes but are pushing on with plans to expand to place in the international film business.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 12 May 2026
North Korea has updated its constitution to require a retaliatory nuclear strike if leader Kim Jong Un is assassinated, according to a report.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 10 May 2026
Then came the news that Lively’s team is still going after Baldoni to try and recoup damages and legal fees from Baldoni’s retaliatory defamation lawsuit.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2026
The Iranian government's retaliatory blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane for the oil market, has led to severe trade disruptions.
—Will Lennon, ABC News, 8 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retaliatory
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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Any government action against a licensee would cause a protracted legal battle, even more so given the current media-bashing climate, because a station would likely cite Trump’s retributive streak and mount a First Amendment case.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
15 Mar. 2026
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The images captured by bystanders and immigration agents were reminiscent of the lynching postcards that white spectators once bought and traded — reproductions of retributive violence, tailor-made to titillate and intimidate.—
Tressie McMillan Cottom,
Mercury News,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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San Diego’s leadership should recognize the urgency of these challenges as part of a broader civic agenda and increase resources for early interventions that are rehabilitative rather than punitive.—
Muhammad Aquil,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 June 2026
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What your employer can't do When a garnishment order is issued, many borrowers will worry that their jobs could be at risk due to punitive action by their employers.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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Others described disciplinary processes that escalated quickly and unpredictably, often tied to subjective assessments of behavior rather than remediable clinical skills.—
Vanessa Grubbs,
STAT,
1 June 2026
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Working underwater The project’s unique edge stems from its cross-disciplinary leadership.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
1 June 2026
Adjective
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Colorado was the first of eight states to repeal its penal exception clause.—
Julia Bowling,
The Conversation,
29 May 2026
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The charges included seven counts of falsifying a record and one felony count of abuse of a resident of a penal facility.—
Nichole Manna,
ProPublica,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Retaliatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retaliatory. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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