revenge

1 of 3

verb

re·​venge ri-ˈvenj How to pronounce revenge (audio)
revenged; revenging
Synonyms of revenge

transitive verb

1
: to avenge (oneself or another) usually by retaliating in kind or degree
vowed to revenge herself on her betrayer
2
: to inflict injury in return for
revenge an insult
revenger noun

revenge

2 of 3

noun (1)

1
: a desire for vengeance or retribution
motivated by revenge
2
: an act or instance of retaliating in order to get even
plotted her revenge
3
: an opportunity for getting satisfaction
sought revenge through a rematch

revenger

3 of 3

noun (2)

re·​veng·​er
-jə(r)
plural -s
: one that revenges : avenger

Synonyms of revenge

Relevance

Verb

Noun (1)

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of revenge in a Sentence

Verb a man who took matters into his own hands and revenged the death of his brother Noun (1) She swore that she would have her revenge. She wants revenge against her enemies. The bombing was in revenge for the assassination of their leader. The team is seeking revenge for the loss earlier in the season.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
But insult records and revenge songs go back to well before hip-hop. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026 That book is a revenge fantasy about the former art school professor who seduced her, discarded her and destroyed her confidence as a painter. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 2 July 2026 Years later, Kang gets revenge by crafting a story that Mun-oh cannot turn away from, and that slowly unravels the professor’s life. — Kayti Burt, Time, 26 June 2026 The revenge story saw Tucker's exes convincing Snow's Kate to trick the ladies' man into falling in love with her. — Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for revenge

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French revenger, revengier, from re- + venger to avenge — more at vengeance

Noun (1)

Middle French revenge, revenche, from revengier, revenchier to revenge

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

circa 1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of revenge was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing revenge

Rhymes for revenge

See All Rhymes for revenge

Browse Nearby Words

revendication
revenge
revengeful
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Revenge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/revenge. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

revenge

1 of 2 verb
re·​venge ri-ˈvenj How to pronounce revenge (audio)
revenged; revenging
1
: to get even for a wrong done
revenge myself on my enemies
2
: to give injury in return for
revenge an insult
revenger noun

revenge

2 of 2 noun
1
: a desire to pay back injury for injury
2
: an act or instance of revenging
3
: a chance for getting satisfaction
revengeful
-fəl
adjective
revengefully
-fə-lē
adverb
revengefulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on revenge

Nglish: Translation of revenge for Spanish Speakers

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