definitions

vengeance

[ ven-juhns ]
/ ˈvɛn dʒəns /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR vengeance ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

infliction of injury, harm, humiliation, or the like, on a person by another who has been harmed by that person; violent revenge: But have you the right to vengeance?
an act or opportunity of inflicting such trouble: to take one's vengeance.
the desire for revenge: a man full of vengeance.
Obsolete. hurt; injury.
Obsolete. curse; imprecation.

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RELATED WORDS

retribution, revenge, reprisal, counterblow, return, wrath, vengefulness, requital, repayment

Nearby words

venezia giulia, venezia tridentina, venezuela, venezuelan, venge, vengeance, vengeful, veni, vidi, vici, veni-, venial, venial sin

Idioms

    with a vengeance,
    1. with force or violence.
    2. greatly; extremely.
    3. to an unreasonable, excessive, or surprising degree: He attacked the job with a vengeance.

Origin of vengeance

1250–1300; Middle English < Old French, equivalent to vengi(er) to avenge (see venge) + -ance -ance

Synonym study

1. See revenge.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for vengeance

British Dictionary definitions for vengeance

vengeance

/ (ˈvɛndʒəns) /

noun

the act of or desire for taking revenge; retributive punishment
with a vengeance (intensifier)the 70's have returned with a vengeance

Word Origin for vengeance

C13: from Old French, from venger to avenge, from Latin vindicāre to punish; see vindicate
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with vengeance

vengeance

see with a vengeance.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.