RETALIATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does retaliate mean? 

• RETALIATE (verb)
  The verb RETALIATE has 2 senses:

1. take revenge for a perceived wrong

2. make a counterattack and return like for like, especially evil for evil

  Familiarity information: RETALIATE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RETALIATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they retaliate    ... he / she / it retaliates   
Past simple: retaliated   
Past participle: retaliated   
-ing form: retaliating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Take revenge for a perceived wrong

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

avenge; retaliate; revenge

Context example:

He wants to avenge the murder of his brother

Hypernyms (to "retaliate" is one way to...):

penalise; penalize; punish (impose a penalty on; inflict punishment on)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "retaliate"):

get back; get even (take revenge or even out a score)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

retaliation (action taken in return for an injury or offense)

retaliator (someone who takes vengeance)

retaliatory (of or relating to or having the nature of retribution)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make a counterattack and return like for like, especially evil for evil

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

retaliate; strike back

Context example:

The Israeli army retaliated for the Hamas bombing

Hypernyms (to "retaliate" is one way to...):

hit; strike (make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

retaliation (action taken in return for an injury or offense)

retaliatory (of or relating to or having the nature of retribution)

 Context examples 

By this means he announced that he was prepared to retaliate for any hurt he might receive.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

As François’s whip backed him up, Buck found it to be cheaper to mend his ways than to retaliate.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

In spite of various very natural temptations to resent and retaliate, Amy adhered to her resolution all the next day, bent on conquering her enemy by kindness.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Indeed, Mr. Darcy, it is very ungenerous in you to mention all that you knew to my disadvantage in Hertfordshire—and, give me leave to say, very impolitic too—for it is provoking me to retaliate, and such things may come out as will shock your relations to hear.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

In his anger he had met the first advances of the express messengers with growls, and they had retaliated by teasing him.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)