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Retaliate vs Vengeful - What's the difference?

retaliate | vengeful |

As a verb 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.

As an adjective vengeful is

vindictive or wanting vengeance.

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

    *

    vengeful

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Vindictive or wanting vengeance.
  • His chains now broken, the prisoner turned a vengeful eye toward his former captors.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=December 14 , author=Steven Morris , title=Devon woman jailed for 168 days for killing kitten in microwave , work=Guardian citation , page= , passage=A vengeful mother-of-three has been jailed for 168 days after being convicted of killing a neighbour's kitten by microwaving the 10-week-old pet.}}

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Hyponyms

    * revanchist