retaliation
/ɹiˌtæl.iˈeɪ.ʃən/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: retaliations
Meaning · English
Violent or otherwise punitive response to an act of harm or perceived injustice; a hitting back; revenge.
Noun
Examples
Hamas knew there would be massive retaliations.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “retaliation” mean?
Violent or otherwise punitive response to an act of harm or perceived injustice; a hitting back; revenge.
Is “retaliation” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.