Synonyms

get back at

Idioms

Take revenge on, as in Watch out for Peter; he's sure to get back at you. Similarly, get one's own back means simply “get revenge,” as in She finally saw a chance to get her own back. The first expression dates from the late 1800s, the second from the early 1900s.

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:

get back at

You know what the interest payments will be, and you know how much money you will get back at maturity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

He wants to get back at the Eagles for one that got away.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 14, 2025

That made the scientists wonder if Anchali was trying to get back at Mary by ruining her shower.

From NewsForKids.net ● Nov. 21, 2024

His wife did it to get back at one of their neighbors, he says.

From Slate ● May 17, 2024

“Don’t you want to get back at the Allens?” her father asked.

From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023