Definition

1. Verb:
   • To respond to an attack or harmful action by inflicting a similar one in return: To take action against someone because they have harmed you, typically with the intent of causing equivalent harm.
   • To seek revenge or retribution for a perceived wrong: To act in return for an injury or offense.

Examples of Usage

• Verb:
  • The company threatened to retaliate with tariffs if the new regulations were imposed.
  • When he was insulted, he chose not to retaliate.
  • The nation vowed to retaliate for the unprovoked attack on its border.

Advanced Usage

• "to retaliate against": To direct a retaliatory action towards a specific person, group, or entity.
  • Workers feared the management would retaliate against them for organizing the strike.
• "to retaliate for": To take action in response to a specific event or act.
  • The military action was meant to retaliate for the embassy bombing.

Variants and Related Words

• Retaliation (n): The action of retaliating.
  • The attack was an act of retaliation.
• Retaliatory (adj): Having the nature of or constituting retaliation.
  • The government imposed retaliatory sanctions.

Synonyms

• Retaliate: Avenge, reciprocate, strike back, get even, pay back.
• Note: "Avenge" often implies seeking justice for a wrong done to another, while "retaliate" focuses more on the act of returning harm.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Strike back: To attack or retaliate in response to an attack.
  • After losing the first set, the champion struck back to win the match.
• Get back at (someone): (Informal) To retaliate against someone.
  • She was always trying to get back at her critics.

Related Idioms

• An eye for an eye (and a tooth for a tooth): The idea that punishment should be equivalent to the crime committed; a principle often associated with retaliation.
  • He didn't believe in forgiveness; his philosophy was strictly an eye for an eye.
• Give as good as one gets: To retaliate with equal force or effectiveness in a fight or argument.
  • In the debate, she gave as good as she got.

Verb

1. make a counterattack and return like for like, especially evil for evil
   • The Empire strikes back
   • The Giants struck back and won the opener
   • The Israeli army retaliated for the Hamas bombing
2. take revenge for a perceived wrong
   • He wants to avenge the murder of his brother