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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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
Fans hoping for a revengeful scoring outburst were left wanting a little more, however, as Dončić — a career 28.6 points per game scorer — added only 10 points over the final three quarters.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 26 Feb. 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
Bold, angry, and revengeful.
—Michael W. Clune, Harper’s Magazine , 10 Apr. 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
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
Fans hoping for a revengeful scoring outburst were left wanting a little more, however, as Dončić — a career 28.6 points per game scorer — added only 10 points over the final three quarters.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 26 Feb. 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
Bold, angry, and revengeful.
—Michael W. Clune, Harper’s Magazine , 10 Apr. 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
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Blunt is at her most formidable in vengeful mother mode, and The English’s dark, foreboding atmosphere will haunt you in the best possible fashion.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The freaky happenings in this seemingly antiseptic city include clashes with werewolves, bigfoot, aliens, ghosts, mummies, alternate dimensions, vengeful tornados, and Elvis!—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The legendary film from 1990 hinges on Bates’ all-consuming transformation into Annie Wilkes, a mousy woman dismissed by the world only to reveal her vindictive nature when the rules collapse.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
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No, this feels karmically vindictive — the football gods targeting the Niners, from the owner down to the youngest fan, and deciding that simple playoff heartbreak was too pedestrian.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Young people are growing up in a climate that can feel cruel, divided or lonely.—
Julie Ruth Owen,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
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And cutting nurses’ health care benefits is just cruel.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Their faltering attempt at a total crackdown—which can’t muzzle the anger and bravery of ordinary people—and its general odor of malicious incompetence, is even seeping into the White House’s hermetic media echo chamber.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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Just like the ClickFix attacks, this malicious trickery is all about running commands that almost all users would never think to do in normal circumstances.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
That contraction represents a vicious cycle.—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Benedict doesn’t realize that the woman who has entirely captured his attention is Sophie, the maid for the formidable Araminta Gun (Katie Leung), aka Lady Penwood and her daughters, the vicious and self-absorbed Rosamund Li (Michelle Mao) and the sweet but simple Posy Li (Isabella Wei).—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This is not the first time that Peacock has taken to social media to ask viewers to refrain from sending hateful messages.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Jan. 2026
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Since 2004, Orange County also has been predominantly nonwhite, but some conservative families, such as Woodward’s, bond over a hateful ideology.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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His 134 men were armed with musket, cartridge pouch, and sword in case of a hostile encounter, and the Africaansche Galey lay close by with a couple of small cannon brought forward on the bow.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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The broader goal, Rubio said, is a prosperous Venezuela aligned with the United States and no longer serving as a hub for hostile foreign powers.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
From the creators of The Hills, Selling Sunset provides viewers with romance, petty drama, luxurious homes, and a game of trying to remember which Oppenheim twin is which.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Feb. 2026
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This is more than just petty high-school behaviour to be brushed off.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Revengeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/revengeful. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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