Synonyms

retaliate

American

[ri-tal-ee-eyt] / rɪˈtæl iˌeɪt /

verb (used without object)

retaliated, retaliating

to return like for like, especially evil for evil.

to retaliate for an injury.

Synonyms:

reciprocate, repay, counter

verb (used with object)

retaliated, retaliating

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

retaliate British

/ rɪˈtælɪˌeɪt /

verb

(intr) to take retributory action, esp by returning some injury or wrong in kind
(intr) to cast (accustations) back upon a person
rare (tr) to avenge (an injury, wrong, etc)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of retaliate

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

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.

"In terms of uncertainty we're back to where we were last year," he told the BBC's Today programme, adding there was now a higher risk that the US's trading partners would retaliate.

From BBC

In response, Beijing retaliated by halting flights to Japan and threatening to ban Japanese seafood imports.

From The Wall Street Journal

All options carry risks but a prolonged campaign in particular could incur significant costs to U.S. forces and munitions stockpiles, officials said, complicating the protection of regional partners if Iran is able to retaliate.

From The Wall Street Journal

The 1980 Moscow Olympics were boycotted by the U.S. in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, only for the Soviet Union to retaliate by boycotting the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

From The Wall Street Journal

Several European nations last month sent troops to the island, which belongs to Denmark, and threatened to use their financial muscle to retaliate against the tariffs that Washington imposed in retribution.

From The Wall Street Journal

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