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retaliatory

retaliatory

19 7.8
A response that hurts someone in return for an earlier attack
  • adjective
  • /rɪˈtæliəˌtɔri/
translation icon : represaliatorio
  • That'll certainly guarantee a retaliatory gesture against the United States.
  • retaliatory action
  • retaliatory measures
  • retaliatory strike

But it has the right to do it in a retaliatory way as well.

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Examples

  • Given the current level of tensions between our countries, this could result in horrifying retaliatory attacks on the motherland.

  • We would be forced to take retaliatory action, and that would be against our best interest.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Iran has launched the first wave of its retaliatory strike against Israel.

  • A local judge explained that these boys were at risk of retaliatory attacks by other children and by paid vigilantes.

    Academic text (1997)
  • The US Air Force has alerted all defense commands and retaliatory units.

  • All right, then I'm authorizing an immediate retaliatory strike.

  • The attack has triggered a series of retaliatory suicide bombings against American embassies abroad.

  • So these tariffs get implemented and this triggers retaliatory tariffs from other countries.

  • I felt if I had not led the march, pent-up emotions and inner tensions would have led to an uncontrollable retaliatory situation, a violent situation on both sides.

  • In response to the surprise attack, the country's leaders planned a retaliatory attack to protect their citizens.

Synonyms

vindictive
vsretaliatory
46 7.9

Wanting strongly to hurt someone who hurt you

refers to actions taken in reply to a harm rather than a trait
vengeful
vsretaliatory
37 6.9

Wanting to harm someone because they hurt you

describes acts done as a direct reply to a perceived wrong
revengeful
vsretaliatory
2 5.8

Wanting to hurt someone who hurt you

refers to actual responsive acts rather than a personal tendency
retributive
vsretaliatory
  • Formal
1 8.0

Relating to punishment that aims to give someone what they deserve

is used for actions meant to hurt back rather than measured justice
retaliative
vsretaliatory
8.3

Intended to punish someone in return for a wrong

is the identical sense but the other form is more common
vindicatory
vsretaliatory
9.9

Intended as punishment to restore justice after a wrong

focuses more on harming someone in return as a response
retributory
vsretaliatory
  • Formal
9.9

Something that punishes or rewards someone for what they did

is more about harming someone in return as a direct reply

Antonyms

64 3.1

Ready to stop feeling angry after someone hurts you

Compounds

retaliatory tariff
  • Literature
2 7.7

A tax on imports that a government adds in reply to another country's trade barriers

A landlord forces a tenant to leave because they complained or used their rights

How Retaliatory

vindictive
46 7.9
vengeful
37 6.9
retaliatory
19 7.8
punitive
  • Formal
81 7.0

Surface Forms

retaliatory positive

Morphology

retaliatory = retaliate (transparent) = retaliate + ory

Formed by adding the adjectival suffix '-ory' to the verb 'retaliate', so the meaning 'relating to retaliation' is directly inferable.

Etymology

Retaliatory comes from the Latin parts re- 'back' and talio 'to pay back'. So, a retaliatory action is done to 'pay back' someone or get revenge.