How to Use retribution in a Sentence

retribution

noun
  • The killer acted without fear of retribution.
  • The group is afraid to blow the whistle for fear of retribution.
    The Seattle Times, 13 Sep. 2017
  • And the church is not afraid to throw its weight around or even dole out old-school retribution.
    NBC News, 25 June 2018
  • Dan did not want to give his last name, for fear of retribution.
    Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2020
  • The killer had left cut-up photos of the couple, and a message of retribution.
    Samantha Schmidt, chicagotribune.com, 8 May 2017
  • So, what does Mitchell have planned for his own form of retribution?
    Chris Fedor, cleveland, 11 Jan. 2023
  • Like many others, the man, a 28-year-old Jerusalemite, didn’t want to give his name for fear of retribution by the police.
    Raja Abdulrahim, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024
  • Most did not want their names used for fear of retribution.
    New York Times, 11 Apr. 2021
  • Fans will want retribution for the death of two fan favorites.
    Troy L. Smith, cleveland.com, 15 Apr. 2018
  • The fear of not knowing who may come to your door for retribution would be a terrible thing to have to live with.
    Expert Panel, Forbes, 21 Apr. 2021
  • The idea of retribution on my parents, my friends, my business, and my staff.
    Joe Marusak, charlotteobserver, 26 June 2017
  • The only other way to end the cycle of retribution is to just swallow hard and end it.
    Washington Post, 20 Jan. 2021
  • And then the bad stuff -- rage, jealousy, anger, vengeance, retribution.
    Gary Graff, cleveland, 26 Jan. 2022
  • Blinken also called for an end to the cycle of retribution.
    Shannon K. Crawford, ABC News, 30 Jan. 2023
  • The residents asked that their names not be used for fear of retribution.
    Peter Prengaman, The Seattle Times, 12 Apr. 2019
  • To sit by the sea, knowing that the water will drag all your worries of judgment and retribution away.
    New York Times, 14 May 2020
  • Ending there, the show would have been about karmic retribution.
    Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2023
  • Many even sought to blame others or seek some kind of retribution.
    Timothy Fanning, San Antonio Express-News, 13 Apr. 2022
  • Then the Cherokee burn down his home and kill him as retribution, so no, thing's aren't going great.
    Mehera Bonner, Harper's BAZAAR, 3 Dec. 2018
  • That reticence is due, in part, to a fear of retribution.
    New York Times, 12 Apr. 2022
  • The worry is that there could be retribution if they’re picked up by Russian forces.
    Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2022
  • Just like your ethics program, make sure there is no fear of retribution.
    Bob Bruns, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2021
  • In this case, retribution is a dish best served piping hot.
    Charlie Dent, CNN, 7 Jan. 2023
  • But are people ready to sign up for a campaign of retribution?
    ABC News, 5 Nov. 2023
  • This is no time, White said, for him or anyone else to exact any form of retribution.
    USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2017
  • There are feelings of redemption and retribution, of crimes that haunt, and sins that can’t be washed away.
    Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2019
  • Speaking up has always been a challenge and fear of retribution has been one of the factors.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 6 June 2022
  • Who could blame the man for seeking (and taking) bloody retribution?
    Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 16 Feb. 2023
  • The woman did not want to be identified for fear of retribution.
    Dake Kang, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Dec. 2022
  • Hate, anger, revenge, retribution are among the oldest of ideas.
    USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'retribution.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: