Retaliate

usgb/rɪˈtælieɪt/
verb

To do something harmful or bad to someone because they did something harmful or bad to you.

She retaliated by throwing a glass of water on his face after he had offended her.
Visual representation of "retaliate" - To do something harmful or bad to someone because they did something harmful or bad to you

Often appears as...

  • retaliate against
  • retaliate by
Definition 1 of 2
Visual representation of "retaliate"
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Emotional Response

Retaliate implies a personal reaction to being wronged, often driven by emotions.

Illustration for Emotional Response
When insulted, he retaliated with a scathing comeback.
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Expect Negative Act

The action taken to retaliate is normally viewed as negative and rarely constructive.

Illustration for Expect Negative Act
The company retaliated against the false claims by suing the accuser.
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Immediate Reaction

Retaliation often suggests an immediate or direct response to some provocation.

Illustration for Immediate Reaction
After the prank, she retaliated by hiding his phone.
Visual representation of the word "Retaliate"

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