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Retaliate vs Revenge - What's the difference?

retaliate | revenge |

In transitive terms the difference between retaliate and revenge

is that retaliate is to repay or requite by an act of the same kind while revenge is to take revenge for (a particular harmful action), to avenge.

As verbs the difference between retaliate and revenge

is that retaliate is to do something harmful or negative to get revenge for some harm; to fight back or respond in kind to an injury or affront while revenge is to take one's revenge (on or upon) someone.

As a noun revenge is

any form of personal retaliatory action against an individual, institution, or group for some perceived harm or injustice.

retaliate

English

Verb

(retaliat)
  • To do something harmful or negative to get revenge for some harm; to fight back or respond in kind to an injury or affront.
  • John insulted Peter to retaliate for Peter's acid remark earlier.
  • To repay or requite by an act of the same kind.
  • * Sir T. Herbert
  • One ambassador sent word to the duke's son that his visit should be retaliated .
  • * Jonathan Swift
  • It is unlucky to be obliged to retaliate the injuries of authors, whose works are so soon forgotten that we are in danger of appearing the first aggressors.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * retaliation * retaliative * retaliatory

    References

    Anagrams

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    revenge

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • Any form of personal retaliatory action against an individual, institution, or group for some perceived harm or injustice.
  • (label) A win by the previous loser.
  • *
  • *:“I'm through with all pawn-games,” I laughed. “Come, let us have a game of lansquenet. Either I will take a farewell fall out of you or you will have your sevenfold revenge ”.
  • Synonyms

    * payback, wreak * See also

    Derived terms

    * Montezuma's revenge * revengeful * revenge is a dish best served cold * revengement * revenger

    See also

    * vendetta * avenge * vengeance * get one's own back * get back at somebody * retaliate

    Verb

  • (reflexive) To take one's revenge (on'' or ''upon ) someone.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, / Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius.
  • To take for (a particular harmful action), to avenge.
  • * Ld. Berners
  • to revenge the death of our fathers
  • * Dryden
  • The gods are just, and will revenge our cause.
    Arsenal revenged its loss to Manchester United last time with a 5-0 drubbing this time.
  • (archaic) To take vengeance; to revenge itself.
  • * Shakespeare
  • A bird that will revenge upon you all.

    Anagrams

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