avenge
Americanverb
Usage
The use of avenge with a reflexive pronoun was formerly considered incorrect, but is now acceptable: she avenged herself on the man who killed her daughter
Synonym Usage
Avenge, revenge both imply to inflict pain or harm in return for pain or harm inflicted on oneself or those persons or causes to which one feels loyalty. The two words were formerly interchangeable, but have been differentiated until they now convey widely diverse ideas. Avenge is now restricted to inflicting punishment as an act of retributive justice or as a vindication of propriety: to avenge a murder by bringing the criminal to trial. Revenge implies inflicting pain or harm to retaliate for real or fancied wrongs; a reflexive pronoun is often used with this verb: Iago wished to revenge himself upon Othello.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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avengernoun
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avengefuladjective
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unavengedadjective
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unavengingadjective
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avenginglyadverb
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unavenginglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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avengesimple
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avengessimple
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have avengedperfect
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has avengedperfect
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am avengingprogressive
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are avengingprogressive
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is avengingprogressive
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have been avengingperfect progressive
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has been avengingperfect progressive
Past
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avengedsimple
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had avengedperfect
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was avengingprogressive
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were avengingprogressive
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had been avengingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of avenge
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English avengen, from Old French avengier, equivalent to a- prefix meaning “toward, increase” ( see a- 5) + vengier, from Latin vindicāre; see vindicate
Explanation
If you avenge your father's death by killing his murderer (thereby taking revenge for the crime), there is a good chance you'll end up in jail, if you're caught. Many movie plots center on a character who seeks to avenge an injury of some kind. Whether it be Simba in "The Lion King," who wants to avenge his father's death, or Erin Brockovich, who seeks to avenge the suffering caused by a crooked and polluting California power company. One trick to remembering the word is that it's similar to the word revenge, which is the thing you're going for when you're seeking to avenge a bad deed. Watch for the venge in both words, and you'll know you're in the right department.
Vocabulary lists containing avenge
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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"The Cask of Amontillado"
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Over a wheezing harmonica and lightly strummed guitar, the title character sets out on a journey to avenge the death of her father.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
South Carolina is trying to avenge last season’s championship loss to UConn and secure its fourth national championship in program history and the third in five years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 22, 2026
Her dreams propelled Jackson toward college — as did a need to avenge the childhood taunts that echoed in his head.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 17, 2026
However, Rybakina won five successive games before completing a 6-4 4-6 6-4 victory to avenge her loss to two-time winner Sabalenka in the 2023 final.
From BBC ● Jan. 31, 2026
A flock of cranes flew by overhead, and he called on them to avenge him.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
Victory also marked a first over a world number one player for Fritz, 27, and avenges last year's Laver Cup defeat by Alcaraz, which sealed the title for Team Europe.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2025
There’s also the typical trend where, in matchups this tight, the results often even out, meaning Miami avenges that 2022 loss.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2023
He avenges his London 2012 loss to South African rival Chad le Clos with a 200-meter butterfly victory and his 20th career gold.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 8, 2020
Archbishop Murphy avenges last year’s semifinal loss vs.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 19, 2016
He was a sort of Bradman, top of the battling avenges.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
The impressive Simpson avenged the only loss of his career, when Williamson upset the odds to stop him in the 10th round in December.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Instead, the expansion Tempo avenged a four-point defeat two days earlier with a 106-96 victory Sunday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2026
Flamengo's win avenged their 2-1 defeat to Palmeiras in the 2021 Libertadores final and leaves the famous Rio de Janeiro club firmly on course for a hat-trick of trophies in 2025.
From Barron's ● Nov. 29, 2025
Its only two losses to California schools came in out of state tournaments to Marymount and Redondo Union early in the season and the Trailblazers avenged both in best-of-five matches.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2025
When Locri was destroyed by one of his legates, the Locrians were not avenged by him, nor was the arrogance of that legate corrected, all this arising from his easygoing nature.
From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli
Should they make it past Somerset they will potentially have an eye on avenging last year's semi-final defeat by Hampshire Hawks in the showpiece at 18:45.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
He flies like an avenging angel, holding a candle in one hand and grapes in the other.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
The same, by the way, was true of Nat Turner and John Brown—bloodthirsty monsters for some, avenging angels for others.
From Slate ● Dec. 18, 2024
That put the spotlight on the Huskies, and they added to the program’s legacy with a dominant performance while avenging their only loss.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 2, 2024
This was no assault upon the Dark Lord by the men of Gondor, risen like avenging ghosts from the graves of valour long passed away.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
