retaliatory
[ ri-tal-ee-uh-tawr-ee ]
adjective
done in order to take revenge; returning evil for evil: Hate crimes are especially likely to inflict emotional harm and provoke retaliatory violence.
Origin of retaliatory
1- Rarely re·tal·i·a·tive [ri-tal-ee-uh-tiv] /rɪˈtæl i əˌtɪv/ .
Other words from retaliatory
- un·re·tal·i·a·to·ry, un·re·tal·i·a·tive, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
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.
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