Retaliate
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.
Often appears as...
- retaliate against
- retaliate by
verb
To respond to an attack by attacking back, generally in defence.
The army retaliated against the enemy's surprise attack with a larger attack of their own.
Often appears as...
- retaliate against
- retaliate with
Usage tips
Formal
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.
Often appears as...
- retaliate against
- retaliate by
verb
To respond to an attack by attacking back, generally in defence.
The army retaliated against the enemy's surprise attack with a larger attack of their own.
Often appears as...
- retaliate against
- retaliate with
Usage tips
Formal
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Response
Retaliate implies a personal reaction to being wronged, often driven by emotions.
When insulted, he retaliated with a scathing comeback.
Pro Tip 2/3Expect Negative Act
The action taken to retaliate is normally viewed as negative and rarely constructive.
The company retaliated against the false claims by suing the accuser.
Pro Tip 3/3Immediate Reaction
Retaliation often suggests an immediate or direct response to some provocation.
After the prank, she retaliated by hiding his phone.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Response
Retaliate implies a personal reaction to being wronged, often driven by emotions.
When insulted, he retaliated with a scathing comeback.
Pro Tip 2/3Expect Negative Act
The action taken to retaliate is normally viewed as negative and rarely constructive.
The company retaliated against the false claims by suing the accuser.
Pro Tip 3/3Immediate Reaction
Retaliation often suggests an immediate or direct response to some provocation.
After the prank, she retaliated by hiding his phone.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Response
Retaliate implies a personal reaction to being wronged, often driven by emotions.
When insulted, he retaliated with a scathing comeback.
Pro Tip 2/3Expect Negative Act
The action taken to retaliate is normally viewed as negative and rarely constructive.
The company retaliated against the false claims by suing the accuser.
Pro Tip 3/3Immediate Reaction
Retaliation often suggests an immediate or direct response to some provocation.
After the prank, she retaliated by hiding his phone.
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Video examples
Surviving a nuclear...
stateless somebody once said al Qaeda does not have a return address so if they attacked us with a nuclear weapon what's the response and to whom is the response and their retaliation proof since there is no real retribution possible that would make any difference since there are people willing to
Video examples
The ecological structure...
they helped open the door to evacuating tens of thousands of injured civilians to get them urgent medical care in Jordan and in fact the collaboration had to be kept secret because of a fear of retaliation from the Libyan regime and today is the first time it's ever been
Video examples
The secret US prisons...
for depriving prisoners of their due process rights and for retaliating against them for their protected political and religious speech. Many of these documents would have never come to light without this lawsuit. The message of these groups and my message for you today
Video examples
The surprising decline...
and will often raid their neighbors out of fear of being raided first. Now, one way of dealing with this problem is by deterrence. You don't strike first, but you have a publicly announced policy that you will retaliate savagely if you are invaded.
Video examples
Noy Thrupkaew: Human...
If we ended recruitment fees for migrant workers? If we decided that guest workers should have the right to organize without fear of retaliation? These would be decisions heard around the world. This isn't a matter of buying a fair-trade peach
Video examples
Margaret Heffernan: The...
We're all, under certain circumstances, willfully blind. What the research shows is that some people are blind out of fear. They're afraid of retaliation. And some people are blind because they think, well, seeing anything is just futile.
Video examples
Mating frenzies, sperm...
These colonies have peacefully coexisted so far, but once workers appear, a phenomenon known as brood-raiding begins. Workers from nests up to several meters away begin to steal offspring from our queen. Our colony retaliates,
Video examples
How to outsmart the...
the other will retaliate by choosing “sacrifice” for the rest of eternity. So is that enough to get these poor sentient baked goods to agree to cooperate? To figure that out, we have to factor in another
Video examples
Mountain Gorillas'...
per week she dangerous drove about daily they have to do that protecting gorras and there crafters have always been a target of poachers retaliation but the location of
Video examples
Gelada Baboon Sexual...
social bonds or friendships but it's male starts to bully one of his wives they all gang up and retaliate and the tyrant doesn't always get his own way
Video examples
Surviving a nuclear...
stateless somebody once said al Qaeda does not have a return address so if they attacked us with a nuclear weapon what's the response and to whom is the response and their retaliation proof since there is no real retribution possible that would make any difference since there are people willing to
Video examples
The ecological structure...
they helped open the door to evacuating tens of thousands of injured civilians to get them urgent medical care in Jordan and in fact the collaboration had to be kept secret because of a fear of retaliation from the Libyan regime and today is the first time it's ever been
Video examples
The secret US prisons...
for depriving prisoners of their due process rights and for retaliating against them for their protected political and religious speech. Many of these documents would have never come to light without this lawsuit. The message of these groups and my message for you today
Video examples
The surprising decline...
and will often raid their neighbors out of fear of being raided first. Now, one way of dealing with this problem is by deterrence. You don't strike first, but you have a publicly announced policy that you will retaliate savagely if you are invaded.
Video examples
Noy Thrupkaew: Human...
If we ended recruitment fees for migrant workers? If we decided that guest workers should have the right to organize without fear of retaliation? These would be decisions heard around the world. This isn't a matter of buying a fair-trade peach
Video examples
Margaret Heffernan: The...
We're all, under certain circumstances, willfully blind. What the research shows is that some people are blind out of fear. They're afraid of retaliation. And some people are blind because they think, well, seeing anything is just futile.
Video examples
Mating frenzies, sperm...
These colonies have peacefully coexisted so far, but once workers appear, a phenomenon known as brood-raiding begins. Workers from nests up to several meters away begin to steal offspring from our queen. Our colony retaliates,
Video examples
How to outsmart the...
the other will retaliate by choosing “sacrifice” for the rest of eternity. So is that enough to get these poor sentient baked goods to agree to cooperate? To figure that out, we have to factor in another
Video examples
Mountain Gorillas'...
per week she dangerous drove about daily they have to do that protecting gorras and there crafters have always been a target of poachers retaliation but the location of
Video examples
Gelada Baboon Sexual...
social bonds or friendships but it's male starts to bully one of his wives they all gang up and retaliate and the tyrant doesn't always get his own way
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
John Ridley
American Director
As an ex-stand up, I can tell you that a comedy club isn't a place you go looking to get the abuse you just can't seem to find in daily life. The stage is a performer's domain. You protect that domain. You are not on stage to take what's given just 'cause you're getting paid. If you are attacked, you retaliate.
Quote examples
Sonam Kapoor
Indian Actress
It's difficult for me to really temper my personality, but I am trying to be a little more sensible about it. If I really lose my temper, I go to my room and scream and shout, but I try not to lose it on people any more. I've never said something mean just like that. I've only said things in retaliation.
Quote examples
Mahatma Gandhi
Indian Leader
I did once seriously think of embracing the Christian faith. The gentle figure of Christ, so full of forgiveness that he taught his followers not to retaliate when abused or struck, but to turn the other cheek - I thought it was a beautiful example of the perfect man.
Quote examples
Sandra Day O'Connor
American Judge
I'm a judge. It seemed to me that it was critical to try to take action to stem the criticism and help people understand that in the constitutional framework, it's terribly important not to have a system of retaliation against decisions people don't like.
Quote examples
Niccolo Machiavelli
Italian Writer
Men ought either to be indulged or utterly destroyed, for if you merely offend them they take vengeance, but if you injure them greatly they are unable to retaliate, so that the injury done to a man ought to be such that vengeance cannot be feared.
Quote examples
Ben Simmons
Australian Athlete
I've learned a lot just being around LeBron. People say things about him all the time, but he would never say anything back. That's what I learned from him: Don't retaliate to articles or pieces or to things that are said about me.
Quote examples
Martin Luther King, Jr.
American Leader
Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.
Quote examples
Mangosuthu Buthelezi
South African Leader
My people have been sucked into the violence because some feel they have to retaliate, and some feel they have to protect themselves.
Quote examples
Jeff Cooper
American Celebrity
The will to survive is not as important as the will to prevail... the answer to criminal aggression is retaliation.
Quote examples
Roberto Assagioli
Italian Psychologist
Without forgiveness life is governed by... an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation.
Quote examples
John Ridley
American Director
As an ex-stand up, I can tell you that a comedy club isn't a place you go looking to get the abuse you just can't seem to find in daily life. The stage is a performer's domain. You protect that domain. You are not on stage to take what's given just 'cause you're getting paid. If you are attacked, you retaliate.
Quote examples
Sonam Kapoor
Indian Actress
It's difficult for me to really temper my personality, but I am trying to be a little more sensible about it. If I really lose my temper, I go to my room and scream and shout, but I try not to lose it on people any more. I've never said something mean just like that. I've only said things in retaliation.
Quote examples
Mahatma Gandhi
Indian Leader
I did once seriously think of embracing the Christian faith. The gentle figure of Christ, so full of forgiveness that he taught his followers not to retaliate when abused or struck, but to turn the other cheek - I thought it was a beautiful example of the perfect man.
Quote examples
Sandra Day O'Connor
American Judge
I'm a judge. It seemed to me that it was critical to try to take action to stem the criticism and help people understand that in the constitutional framework, it's terribly important not to have a system of retaliation against decisions people don't like.
Quote examples
Niccolo Machiavelli
Italian Writer
Men ought either to be indulged or utterly destroyed, for if you merely offend them they take vengeance, but if you injure them greatly they are unable to retaliate, so that the injury done to a man ought to be such that vengeance cannot be feared.
Quote examples
Ben Simmons
Australian Athlete
I've learned a lot just being around LeBron. People say things about him all the time, but he would never say anything back. That's what I learned from him: Don't retaliate to articles or pieces or to things that are said about me.
Quote examples
Martin Luther King, Jr.
American Leader
Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.
Quote examples
Mangosuthu Buthelezi
South African Leader
My people have been sucked into the violence because some feel they have to retaliate, and some feel they have to protect themselves.
Quote examples
Jeff Cooper
American Celebrity
The will to survive is not as important as the will to prevail... the answer to criminal aggression is retaliation.
Quote examples
Roberto Assagioli
Italian Psychologist
Without forgiveness life is governed by... an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation.
Example 1 of 10
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