Synonyms for retaliation
Most common
All synonyms
Noun
1. Revenge
revenge, reprisal, retribution, vengeance, punishment, repayment, requital, payback
Other
reciprocation, taliation dated
Definitions
- n. 1
Violent or otherwise punitive response to an act of harm or perceived injustice; a hitting back; revenge.
Forms
- Plural
- retaliations → revenges, reprisals, retributions, vengeances…
Choose the right word
Retaliation and revenge are personal and often bitter. Retaliation may be partial; revenge is meant to be complete, and may be excessive.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- revenge I'll take my revenge on him at all costs tomorrow.
- vengeance She wanted vengeance because she was not invited.
- retribution You can make your choice freely without fear of retribution.
- reprisal General Jackson vowed a reprisal for the death of his men.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| retaliation | rising | |
| revenge | rising | |
| vengeance | rising | |
| retribution | rising | |
| reprisal | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 7 letters
- revenge2, payback2
- 8 letters
- reprisal3, requital
- 9 letters
- vengeance2, repayment3, taliation
- 10 letters
- punishment3
- 11 letters
- retribution4
- 13 letters
- reciprocation
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (revenge2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- rétorsion
- Italiano
- ritorsione
- Deutsch
- Zurückweisung