retaliatory
[ ri-tal-ee-uh-tawr-ee ]
/ rɪˈtæl i əˌtɔr i /
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adjective
done in order to take revenge; returning evil for evil: Hate crimes are especially likely to inflict emotional harm and provoke retaliatory violence.
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Rarely re·tal·i·a·tive [ri-tal-ee-uh-tiv] /rɪˈtæl i əˌtɪv/ .
Origin of retaliatory
OTHER WORDS FROM retaliatory
un·re·tal·i·a·to·ry, un·re·tal·i·a·tive, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use retaliatory in a sentence
They deplored incendiarism, machine destruction, and all the purely retaliative acts of the laborers.
Violence and the Labor Movement|Robert HunterThe idea of retaliative measures was a product of the brain of Jeff Davis.
Company G|A. R. (Albert Rowe) BarlowThe most ancient punishment in English law was retaliative—membrum pro membro, but ultimately at common law fine and imprisonment.