retaliate

[ ri-tal-ee-eyt ]
See synonyms for: retaliateretaliated on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object),re·tal·i·at·ed, re·tal·i·at·ing.
  1. to return like for like, especially evil for evil: to retaliate for an injury.

verb (used with object),re·tal·i·at·ed, re·tal·i·at·ing.
  1. to requite or make return for (a wrong or injury) with the like.

Origin of retaliate

1
First recorded in 1605–15; from Late Latin retāliātus (past participle of retāliāre ), equivalent to re- re- + tāli(s) “such, of such a nature” + -ātus -ate1

Other words for retaliate

Other words from retaliate

  • re·tal·i·a·tive, re·tal·i·a·to·ry [ri-tal-ee-uh-tawr-ee,], /rɪˈtæl i əˌtɔr i,/, adjective
  • re·tal·i·a·tor, noun
  • un·re·tal·i·at·ed, adjective
  • un·re·tal·i·at·ing, adjective
  • un·re·tal·i·a·tive, adjective

Words Nearby retaliate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use retaliate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for retaliate

retaliate

/ (rɪˈtælɪˌeɪt) /


verb
  1. (intr) to take retributory action, esp by returning some injury or wrong in kind

  2. (intr) to cast (accustations) back upon a person

  1. (tr) rare to avenge (an injury, wrong, etc)

Origin of retaliate

1
C17: from Late Latin retāliāre, from Latin re- + tālis of such kind

Derived forms of retaliate

  • retaliation, noun
  • retaliative or retaliatory, adjective
  • retaliator, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012