retaliate

[ri-tal-ee-eyt]

verb (used without object)

retaliated, retaliating 

1. to return like for like, especially evil for evil.

   to retaliate for an injury.

   Synonyms: reciprocate, repay, counter

verb (used with object)

retaliated, retaliating 

1. to requite or make return for (a wrong or injury) with the like.

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

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

Other Word Forms

• retaliative adjective
• retaliatory adjective
• retaliator noun
• unretaliated adjective
• unretaliating adjective
• unretaliative adjective
• retaliation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of retaliate¹

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 -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of retaliate¹

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

Example Sentences

Just days after the American president increased tariffs on Chinese goods, Beijing retaliated with its own levies.

Read more on BBC

Shortly after the Dutch government’s move, the Chinese government retaliated by ordering Nexperia’s parent company to suspend exports from China, where 80% of its products are processed before being delivered to customers.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

If the plan led Moscow to retaliate against Hungarian companies, Orban said, it would be difficult to explain to Hungarians "why they should support the confiscation of frozen Russian assets".

Read more on BBC

Bessent maintained that Washington would "rather not" take substantial actions to retaliate against China, expecting that more talks with Beijing will be forthcoming this week.

Read more on Barron's

China not only retaliated, but amplified the crisis.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• reciprocate