REVENGEFUL Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

revengeful

adjective

ri-ˈvenj-fəl

Definition of revengeful

as in vengeful

likely to seek revenge the minister urged his congregation to be less revengeful and more forgiving in spirit

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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 revengeful 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 This latest installment finds the Sully family grieving one of their own when a new threat emerges in the form of the Fire tribe, an antagonistic group of Na’vi volcano-dwellers led by the revengeful Varang (Oona Chaplin in her franchise debut). — Jack Dunn, Variety, 2 Dec. 2025 Eventually, this revengeful streak will result in loneliness and isolation. — Nicole Froio, refinery29.com, 29 Oct. 2024 Artemis was revengeful toward anyone who trespassed in wild nature, and trespassing could mean neglect, like not paying your dues. — Robert Sullivan, Vogue, 20 June 2023 The club came back with wins over Heights Norhill and a revengeful victory over Post Oak on Sunday, but leaving the bases loaded three times is going to all but ruin any team’s hopes for a big win. — Robert Avery, Houston Chronicle, 9 July 2019

Recent Examples of Synonyms for revengeful

Adjective

In her latest book, Stay Buried, siblings new to a remote Vermont town discover that the locals live in fear of a vengeful spirit.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 2 Sep. 2026
And the who, what and why of the vengeful spirit is the narrative pull of the play — along with the tense anticipation of more revelations, suspicions and shocks.

— Frank Rizzo, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of vengeful

Adjective

For the crime of vindictive, self-satisfying violence in the name of protecting her family, the narrative gods of Lioness will take it all away from Joe, from a mission accomplished to a family life secured.

— Andy Andersen, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2026
Family blames cousin’s conviction on a vindictive ex, but the letter writer’s history with him suggests a different story.

— Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of vindictive

Adjective

Like her, Americans are also so tired of being screwed by an administration that’s not only grossly incompetent and cruel but corrupt as well.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026
Rather than heroic, these costly and horribly uncertain stunts come across callous and cruel.

— Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of cruel

Adjective

Mercury guard Kahleah Copper, Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams and Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud have also spoken about receiving hateful messages.

— Mike Wilson, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Yiannopoulos’ acerbic and at times hateful speech attracted the fury of students who argued his views should not be platformed.

— Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of hateful

Adjective

Terrorism wasn’t a completely foreign concept, but the notion of a hostile, coordinated attack on our soil, at that scale, seemed like something that might only happen in a Tom Clancy novel or a summer blockbuster movie.

— Michael Silver, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Now, civil engineer Jishen Qiu and his team wondered if engineers could exploit Mars’s hostile climate, rather than fighting the planet’s extremely low temperature.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of hostile

Adjective

Mehring’s characters include petty criminals, unscrupulous lawyers, Galician Jews, Freikorps heavies, local and international businessmen, Prussian generals, and the everyday citizens inhabiting the streets of Berlin’s old and rather dingy center.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
Some fans and analysts pointed out that the news release looked petty.

— Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of petty

Browse Nearby Words

revenged

revengeful

revenger

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“Revengeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/revengeful. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of revengeful

adjective

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