Synonyms for revenge
- noun
- verb
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Vengeance — any form of personal, retaliatory action against an individual, institution, or group for some alleged or…
vengeance, retribution, payback, reprisal, repayment, requital, wreak formal dated
Other
retaliation, score-settling, revanche, avengeance dated
Verb
Definitions
- n. 1
Any form of personal, retaliatory action against an individual, institution, or group for some alleged or perceived harm or injustice.
Indifference is the sweetest revenge.
- n. 2
A win by a previous loser.
- v. 1
To take revenge for (a particular harmful action) or on behalf of (its victim); to avenge.
Arsenal revenged their loss to Manchester United last time with a 5–0 drubbing this time.
Related words
Choose the right word
Avenge and revenge, once close synonyms, are now far apart in meaning. To revenge is to inflict harm or suffering upon another through personal anger and resentment at something done to ourselves.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- vengeance She wanted vengeance because she was not invited.
- retribution You can make your choice freely without fear of retribution.
- payback It's payback for wrongdoing in a previous life.
- reprisal General Jackson vowed a reprisal for the death of his men.
- avenge He killed him in order to avenge his father's death.
- avenging Why are you avenging my dead father?
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| revenge | rising | |
| vengeance | rising | |
| retribution | rising | |
| payback | rising | |
| reprisal | falling | |
| avenge | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- repay2, wreak1
- 6 letters
- avenge2
- 7 letters
- payback2, requite
- 8 letters
- reprisal3, avenging3, requital, revanche
- 9 letters
- vengeance2, repayment3, retaliate4, vindicate3
- 10 letters
- avengeance
- 11 letters
- retaliation5, retribution4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (repay2 = 2 syllables).