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:
Lancers are motivated to avenge their defeat to JSerra in the semifinals of the Chargers Invitational on Aug. 15.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
Much-fancied Japan beat the five-time champions 3-2 last October and - 20 years on - will look to avenge a 4-1 defeat in the 2006 group stage.
From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026
If the Spurs beat Oklahoma City to advance to the Finals, the Jackals will have a chance to avenge the lowest point of their season.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 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
Oliver headed up to his bedroom to think about gifts, but when he saw his copy of Treasure Island sitting on his desk he had a flash of inspiration to avenge Hyacinth’s honor.
From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser
"I named him Muhoozi, which means vengeance, such that when someone wrongs me, he avenges," Museveni once explained.
From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2026
The Americans are tuning up for a World Cup that, they hope, avenges the disappointment of four years ago.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 7, 2023
In 1984, audiences had never seen anything like the low-budget epic “New York Ninja,” in which the Taiwanese kung fu performer John Liu directs himself as a high-kicking sound man who avenges his wife’s death.
From New York Times ● Nov. 19, 2021
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
He was a sort of Bradman, top of the battling avenges.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
Three of the quartet were captain's picks, with the 22-year-old Woad the only debut automatic qualifier for the team that avenged defeat in Virginia two years ago.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
Hernández avenged his ill-fated inside-the-park home run attempt — he was thrown out at the plate on an aggressive send two innings earlier — with a well-struck RBI single.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Six months later, Taylor returned to the 3Arena and avenged it to become undisputed champion in a second weight division.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
No, he says, a dutiful son avenged his father.
From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2026
You shall be avenged in turn; for not one of them but shall minister to your needs.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
In the semifinals six days earlier, Loyola upset No. 2 Redondo Union in five sets, avenging a close loss in the Redondo Varsity Classic final on April 18.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 16, 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
The New Zealand-Canadian pair beat American Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic 7-5 6-3, avenging their loss in the Wimbledon final.
From BBC ● Nov. 9, 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
Finally he gave a faint single rap, and Pepper—such was the compromising name of the avenging boy—announced “Mr. Gargery!”
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
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.
