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vindictive

vindictive

46 7.9
Wanting strongly to hurt someone who hurt you
  • adjective
  • /vɪnˈdɪktɪv/
translation icon : vengativo
  • She was vindictive towards anyone who opposed her, always plotting revenge.
  • vindictive behavior
  • vindictive passions

Always remember, narcissistic people are much more vindictive than regular folks.

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Examples

  • It means that you do not need to be vindictive or cruel.

  • We underestimated how vindictive the agency could be.

  • What could I have done to make you so vindictive?

  • Until these last two years, I had no idea I could be so vindictive.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • I'm normally not a vindictive person.

  • You know the truly vindictive, patient as saints.

  • Always remember, narcissistic people are much more vindictive than regular folks.

  • But I don't want to be vindictive.

  • Dr. Howe was jealous and vindictive; he turned local people away from his door.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • I'm just not vengeful or vindictive.

Synonyms

vengeful
vsvindictive
37 6.9

Wanting to harm someone because they hurt you

shows an intense and unreasonable wish for personal retaliation
spiteful
vsvindictive
23 5.1

Wanting to hurt or upset someone on purpose

is driven by a stronger desire for revenge rather than petty spite
out for revenge
vsvindictive
3 7.1

Wanting to punish someone for a wrong they did to you

is driven by an unreasonable, personal desire to get even
revengeful
vsvindictive
2 5.8

Wanting to hurt someone who hurt you

expresses a stronger, more extreme craving for revenge
despiteful
vsvindictive
  • Archaic
9.9

Wanting to hurt or upset other people

focuses more on revenge motivation rather than general malice

Antonyms

64 3.1

Ready to stop feeling angry after someone hurts you

Compounds

Defending a close person by being mean and hostile to others

How Vengeful

vindictive
46 7.9
spiteful
23 5.1
resentful
36 5.4

Surface Forms

vindictive positive
vindictively positive

Morphology

vindictive = vindicate (opaque) = vindict + ive

Although the form suggests a relation to 'vindicate', the meanings diverge: 'vindicate' means 'to clear/justify' while 'vindictive' means 'seeking revenge', so knowing the base will not reliably predict the adjective's meaning.

Etymology

The word vindictive comes from the Latin verb vindicare, which meant 'to claim' or 'to punish', and the same root is in vindicate, which means to prove you were right. That's why vindictive describes someone who wants revenge and wants to punish or hurt someone who has done them wrong.