retaliation

[ri-tal-ee-ey-shuh n]

See more synonyms for retaliation on Thesaurus.com

noun

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

Origin of retaliation

First recorded in 1575–85; retaliate + -ion

Related formscoun·ter·re·tal·i·a·tion, nounnon·re·tal·i·a·tion, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for retaliation

Contemporary Examples

The decision not to run the cartoons is motivated by nothing more than fear: either fear of offending or fear of retaliation.
Why We Stand With Charlie Hebdo—And You Should Too
John Avlon
January 8, 2015
And U.S. lawmakers are pushing to involve China in any retaliation against the Sony hack.
Obama Could Hit China to Punish North Korea
Shane Harris, Tim Mak
December 20, 2014
Of how incredibly petty the offense can be and how insanely disproportionate the retaliation can be.
Of Gamers, Gates, and Disco Demolition: The Roots of Reactionary Rage
Arthur Chu
October 16, 2014
If this is to be achieved, man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation.
Martin Luther King’s Nobel Speech Is an Often Ignored Masterpiece
Malcolm Jones
October 16, 2014
What he fails to realize is that he is imposing the same urban title on his family in retaliation.
‘black-ish’ Keeps It Real about the Invisible Black Man
Judnick Mayard
September 24, 2014

Historical Examples

But one of the German submarines was to go to the bottom in retaliation.
The Story of the Great War, Volume II (of VIII)
Various
The colonists dared not exhibit the slightest spirit of retaliation.
King Philip
John S. C. (John Stevens Cabot) Abbott
He was in such trouble that he feared to drive his wife to retaliation; and yet he must do his duty.
Is He Popenjoy?
Anthony Trollope
The reckoning, the retribution, the retaliation to be just must be most stern.
New York Times Current History; The European War, Vol 2, No. 5, August, 1915
Various
There seemed to be nothing for it but to wait and pray for some means of retaliation.
The Trail of '98
Robert W. Service

Word Origin and History for retaliation

n.

1580s, noun of action from Late Latin retaliare "pay back in kind," from re- "back" (see re-) + Latin talio "exaction of payment in kind," from or influenced by talis "suchlike" (see that). Originally used both in good and evil senses.

retaliation

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}retaliation

Examples from the Web for retaliation

Contemporary Examples

The decision not to run the cartoons is motivated by nothing more than fear: either fear of offending or fear of retaliation.

And U.S. lawmakers are pushing to involve China in any retaliation against the Sony hack.

Of how incredibly petty the offense can be and how insanely disproportionate the retaliation can be.

If this is to be achieved, man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation.

What he fails to realize is that he is imposing the same urban title on his family in retaliation.

Historical Examples

But one of the German submarines was to go to the bottom in retaliation.

The colonists dared not exhibit the slightest spirit of retaliation.

He was in such trouble that he feared to drive his wife to retaliation; and yet he must do his duty.

The reckoning, the retribution, the retaliation to be just must be most stern.

There seemed to be nothing for it but to wait and pray for some means of retaliation.

Word Origin and History for retaliation

n.

Origin of retaliation