What is the meaning of retaliate?

verb

  • Take revenge for a perceived wrong.
    • usage: "He wants to avenge the murder of his brother"
  • Make a counterattack and return like for like, especially evil for evil.
    • usage: "The Empire strikes back"; "The Giants struck back and won the opener"; "The Israeli army retaliated for the Hamas bombing"
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
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APAWordNet. (2010). retaliate. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/retaliate/definitions/1306539
ChicagoWordNet. 2010. "retaliate" http://smartdefine.org/retaliate/definitions/1306539 (accessed September 20, 2026).
HarvardWordNet 2010, retaliate, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/retaliate/definitions/1306539>.
MLAWordNet. "retaliate" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/retaliate/definitions/1306539>
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