retaliate
/rɪˈtælieɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /rɪˈtælieɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ri-ˈta-lē-ˌāt/ (ame, mw)
retaliate — verb
- retaliatepresent simple I / you / we / they
- retaliateshe / she / it
- retaliatedpast simple
- retaliating-ing form
1. to respond to an attack or injury by hurting the person who caused it — for inst
to respond to an attack or injury by hurting the person who caused it — for instance, spreading rumours about someone who first spread rumours about you, or launching missiles at a country that attacked you
When a colleague spread false rumours about Diego, he retaliated by reporting the incident to management.
retaliate + by + -ing [action]
The government vowed to retaliate against any nation that imposed unfair trade tariffs.
retaliate + against [target]
Rather than retaliate with harsh words, Sofia chose to walk away from the argument.
Kwame felt deeply hurt by his cousin's harsh criticism but decided not to retaliate.
The night-shift nurse retaliated by reporting the senior doctor's bullying to the hospital board.
- get back at
more informal and personal; focuses on settling a score in everyday situations
- take revenge
stronger emotional charge; implies deliberate, often planned infliction of harm in return
- avenge
more formal; often used when the harm was done to someone else, not just oneself, and carries a sense of justice
- forgive
to stop feeling anger towards someone who wronged you, choosing not to retaliate
- turn the other cheek
idiomatic; to choose not to retaliate even when attacked, often for moral or religious reasons
文法句型
retaliate + against [person/group]
retaliate + by + -ing [action]
retaliate + with [something]
用法筆記
Always intransitive — you cannot 'retaliate someone'. Use 'retaliate against [person/group]', 'retaliate by doing [something]', or 'retaliate with [method]'. Frequently appears in political, military, and interpersonal conflict contexts.