Word
vengeful
Phoneticsvenge·ful
US/ˈvɛndʒfəɫ/
UK/vˈɛndʒfəl/
Definition
adj. feeling or showing a strong desire to hurt someone who has hurt you first. You use this to describe someone who wants to get even.
adj. characterised by a desire to retaliate against an enemy or person who has caused harm. Often used to describe a person's emotional state or a specific action taken to punish an offender.
Examples
“He felt vengeful after his friend stole his job.”
“The vengeful spirit of the old building was said to haunt the halls of the abandoned school.”
“The protagonist's vengeful pursuit of the antagonist drives the plot, though the narrative eventually questions whether such a personal quest for justice is truly beneficial for society.”
Examples
simple
“He felt vengeful after his friend stole his job.”
contextual
“The vengeful spirit of the old building was said to haunt the halls of the abandoned school.”
complex
“The protagonist's vengeful pursuit of the antagonist drives the plot, though the narrative eventually questions whether such a personal quest for justice is truly beneficial for society.”
Etymology
From venge + -ful.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.