avenge

American  

[uh-venj] / əˈvɛndʒ /

verb (used with object)

avenged, avenging

1. to take vengeance or exact satisfaction for.

   to avenge a grave insult.

   Antonyms:

   forgive

2. to take vengeance on behalf of.

   He avenged his brother.

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avenge British  

/ əˈvɛndʒ /

verb

1. (usually tr) to inflict a punishment in retaliation for (harm, injury, etc) done to (a person or persons); take revenge for or on behalf of

   to avenge a crime

   to avenge a murdered friend

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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

Related Words

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

• avengeful adjective
• avenger noun
• avengingly adverb
• unavenged adjective
• unavenging adjective
• unavengingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of avenge

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English avengen, from Old French avengier, equivalent to a- prefix meaning “toward, increase” ( a- ⁵ ) + vengier, from Latin vindicāre; 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.

Example Sentences

The Patriots got a second chance to avenge their earlier loss to Marquez via penalty kicks when semifinalists Marquez and South East were removed from the playoffs for using an ineligible player.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 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

Fury's two career defeats came in successive bouts against Usyk in 2024 and he has spoken of a desire to avenge those losses this year.

From BBC • Jan. 28, 2026

Sabalenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, is bidding to reach her fourth straight Melbourne final and avenge a shock defeat last year to Madison Keys.

From Barron's • Jan. 25, 2026

All that mattered was whether or not Hamlet would take action to avenge his father.

From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood

Related Words

• vindicate