retaliatory

American  

[ri-tal-ee-uh-tawr-ee] / rɪˈtæl i əˌtɔr i /

Rarely retaliative

adjective

1. 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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Other Word Forms

• unretaliative
  adjective
• unretaliatory
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of retaliatory

retaliat(e) ( def. ) + -ory ¹ ( def. )

Explanation

A retaliatory act is one that attempts to get even with someone or to punish them for some wrongdoing. When you shove your brother because he shoved you, that's retaliatory. Sometimes, wars are avoided because one country or group hesitates to attack another out of fear of a retaliatory strike. In fact, most wars consist of a long series of retaliatory actions — a bomb dropped to pay the enemy back for the bomb they dropped, and so on. Retaliatory comes from the verb retaliate, and the Latin root retaliare, "pay back in kind."

Example Sentences

His business has been affected by US levies on steel derivatives - and Canada's similar retaliatory tariffs.

From BBC • Jun. 27, 2026

Crossing the 10 million threshold would have forced Bern to terminate its free movement of persons agreement with the EU, a move that business federation Economiesuisse warned would trigger labor shortages and retaliatory tariffs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 14, 2026

In February 2026, Joslin filed a lawsuit against several government agencies and officials, alleging unlawful and retaliatory action in response to peaceful off-duty expression.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2026

Tehran had warned that Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon would trigger another wave of retaliatory strikes.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

I doubted Bouain even realized Otto had tried to be hostile, until he gave Otto a retaliatory pinch.

From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer

Related Words

• cruel
• malicious
• merciless
• resentful
• ruthless
• spiteful
• unforgiving
• vengeful