English Reference
Noun

retaliation

n. C / U
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ɹiˌtæɫiˈeɪʃən/ UK /ɹɪtˌælɪˈeɪʃən/ re·tal·i·a·tion UK spelling retaliations

n.an action taken to punish someone for a wrong or injury. It is often a response to a previous attack or unfair treatment.

n.the act of inflicting harm or punishment in response to an injury or offense. Uncountable in abstract usage; countable when referring to specific acts of reprisal.


SIMPLE

The country promised swift retaliation for the attack.

CONTEXTUAL

The company launched a legal retaliation after the competitor stole their trade secrets.

COMPLEX

In international relations, the threat of nuclear retaliation serves as a deterrent against direct military conflict between superpowers.

Usage retaliation of the beating

But he did plan the shooting in retaliation of the beating of his nephew,” Palal said.

The Guardian· 17 Aug 2026

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to concerns about retaliation, said that their relative confirmed sailors had attempted to jump from the ship.

BBC News· 13 Aug 2026

From retaliate + -ion.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated