Word
retaliate
Phoneticsre·tal·i·ate, stress on the second syllable
US/ɹiˈtæɫiˌeɪt/
UK/ɹɪtˈælɪˌeɪt/
Definitions
01to fight back
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to hurt someone or do something negative to them because they attacked or offended you first.
v. to return like for like, especially to inflict a counter-injury as a form of revenge or defensive response.
“The army warned that it would retaliate if the border was crossed again.”
“The corporation threatened to retaliate against the smaller firm by launching a series of aggressive lawsuits in multiple jurisdictions.”
Usage
Usually used as an intransitive verb followed by the preposition 'against' or 'by'.
Pitfall
He retaliated his brother for the insult.
He retaliated against his brother for the insult.
In modern English, this verb is intransitive and requires the preposition 'against' before the person you are targeting.
Synonyms
02to respond in kind
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to respond to an action by doing the same thing back to the other person.
v. to repay or requite an action with one of the same kind; often used in diplomatic or formal contexts.
“When the country raised taxes on imports, its neighbour decided to retaliate with similar measures.”
“Diplomatic protocols often dictate that a government will retaliate in kind when its officials are expelled from a foreign capital.”
Usage
Often appears in the phrase 'retaliate in kind'.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Stripping EU citizens of their rights could lead to member states retaliating against the UK.” “Mundubile said there was “no political language that can sanitise what happened”, but he appealed to his supporters not to retaliate.” Etymology
From Latin retāliātus, past participle of retāliō (“to requite, retaliate”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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