revengeful

/ri'vendʤful/

Thân thiện

A revengeful character plots his enemy's downfall in a dark tale.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Disposed to seek revenge: Having or showing a strong desire to harm someone in return for a perceived wrong or injury.
   • Characterized by or involving a desire for vengeance: Describing an action, feeling, or nature that is motivated by revenge.

Usage and Examples

• As an adjective describing a person:

  • After the betrayal, he became bitter and revengeful.
  • The villain in the story is a cunning and revengeful character.

• As an adjective describing a feeling or intent:

  • She gave him a revengeful glare, promising retribution with her eyes.
  • His actions were driven by a revengeful desire to see his rival fail.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• Literary/Formal Tone: The word "revengeful" is more common in literary or formal contexts than in everyday conversation. It often describes a deep, lasting, and obsessive desire for vengeance.
• "Revengeful" vs. "Vengeful": These are very close synonyms. "Vengeful" is slightly more common in modern usage, but both convey the same core meaning of being filled with a desire for revenge.

Variants and Related Words

• Revenge (n/v): The act of retaliating for a wrong; to inflict harm in return for harm received.
  • He sought revenge for the insult.
• Revengefully (adv): In a manner characterized by a desire for revenge.
  • He swore revengefully that he would make them pay.

Synonyms

• Vengeful: Seeking to harm someone in return for a wrongdoing.
• Vindictive: Having or showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge.
• Retaliatory: Involving a reaction to an attack or wrong with a corresponding one.

Antonyms

• Forgiving: Willing to pardon an offense or overlook a wrong.
• Merciful: Showing or exercising mercy; compassionate.
• Magnanimous: Generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or less powerful person.

Idioms and Phrases

• To be bent on revenge: To be determined to get revenge.
  • After the unfair dismissal, he was bent on revenge.
• A revengeful spirit: A state of mind obsessed with getting even.
  • The feud was fueled by the revengeful spirits of both families.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. disposed to seek revenge or intended for revenge
   • more vindictive than jealous love- Shakespeare
   • punishments...essentially vindictive in their nature- M.R.Cohen

Từ đồng nghĩa

• vindictive
• vengeful