retaliation

American  

[ri-tal-ee-ey-shuhn] / rɪˌtæl iˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of retaliating; return of like for like; reprisal.

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Other Word Forms

• counterretaliation noun
• nonretaliation noun

Etymology

Origin of retaliation

First recorded in 1575–85; retaliate + -ion

Example Sentences

These workers “are often subject to workplace abuse and retaliation by their employers that is based on and/or facilitated by those workers’ lack of an authorized immigration status,” the institute says.

From MarketWatch

Five people who worked at Target last month, most of whom spoke to the BBC on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, described growing frustration among staff sparked by the ICE response.

From BBC

Perhaps this explains why global retaliation has been relatively mild, and thank goodness for that.

From The Wall Street Journal

The judge in the funding case ruled that the government couldn’t withdraw future grants to Harvard in retaliation for exercising First Amendment rights, or without properly following the law.

From The Wall Street Journal

Developing an alternative supply chain in rare earths became a more urgent imperative after China last year sought to restrict global exports in retaliation for U.S. semiconductor controls.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• punishment
• reprisal
• retribution
• revenge