What does "revenge" mean?
Any form of personal, retaliatory action against an individual, institution, or group for some alleged or perceived harm or injustice.
Revenge
/ɹəˈvɛnd͡ʒ/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Any form of personal, retaliatory action against an individual, institution, or group for some alleged or perceived harm or injustice.
- Grammar: revenge is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: retaliation, avenge, payback, retribution.
- Useful contrasts: compassion, forgive, forgiveness.
- Usage evidence: The officer seemed to be afraid of their revenge.
How to use "revenge"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "revenge" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "revenge" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "revenge" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "revenge" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "revenge" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "retaliation" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "revenge", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any form of personal, retaliatory action against an individual, institution, or group for some alleged or perceived harm or injustice. uncountable, usually
"Indifference is the sweetest revenge."
- 2 action taken in return for an injury or offense wordnet
- 3 A win by a previous loser. uncountable, usually
"“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”."
Verb
- 1 To take revenge for (a particular harmful action) or on behalf of (its victim); to avenge. transitive
"Arsenal revenged their loss to Manchester United last time with a 5–0 drubbing this time."
- 2 take revenge for a perceived wrong wordnet
- 3 To take one's revenge (on or upon someone). reflexive, transitive
"Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius."
- 4 To take vengeance; to revenge itself. archaic, intransitive
"a bird that will revenge upon you all"
Antonyms
Example
"The officer seemed to be afraid of their revenge."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "revenge"?
Common synonyms include: retaliation, avenge, payback, retribution, amends, atonement.
How do you use "revenge" in a sentence?
The officer seemed to be afraid of their revenge.
How do you pronounce "revenge"?
Pronounced /ɹəˈvɛnd͡ʒ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle French revenge, a derivation from revenger, from Old French revengier (possibly influenced by Old Occitan revènge (“revenge, comeback”), from Old Occitan revenir (“to come back”)), a variant of Middle French revancher (whence deverbal French revanche), from Old French revenchier. The variants Old French vengier (whence French venger) and Old French venchier are both descended from Latin vindicō, with stress-conditioned different parallel development in the inflectional forms. Doublet of revanche. Compare avenge and vengeance.
Etymology 2
From Middle English revengen, from Old French revengier, revenger.