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View synonyms for

vengeance

[ ven-juhns ]

noun

  1. infliction of injury, harm, humiliation, or the like, on a person by another who has been harmed by that person; violent revenge:

    But have you the right to vengeance?

    Synonyms: ,

    Antonyms:

  2. an act or opportunity of inflicting such trouble:

    to take one's vengeance.

  3. the desire for revenge:

    a man full of vengeance.

  4. Obsolete. hurt; injury.
  5. Obsolete. curse; imprecation.


vengeance

/ ˈɛԻəԲ /

noun

  1. the act of or desire for taking revenge; retributive punishment
  2. with a vengeance
    (intensifier)

    the 70's have returned with a vengeance

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of vengeance1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French; equivalent to venge + -ance
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of vengeance1

C13: from Old French, from venger to avenge, from Latin Ի徱 to punish; see vindicate
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Idioms and Phrases

  1. with a vengeance,
    1. with force or violence.
    2. greatly; extremely.
    3. to an unreasonable, excessive, or surprising degree:

      He attacked the job with a vengeance.

More idioms and phrases containing vengeance

see with a vengeance .
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Synonym Study

See revenge.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Also joining them were thousands eager to wreak vengeance on the Alawites, a minority they blame for empowering Assad’s brutal rule, even though most did not benefit from the former regime.

From

Yes, Trump did indeed go after Black Lives Matter protesters with a vengeance during his first term, even unleashing armed federal agents without insignia to tear gas, beat and detain such protesters in Portland, Oregon.

From

No, they look suspiciously like the same old mob every strongman attracts — not demanding freedom, but demanding vengeance.

From

As he singled out some targets of his rage, he appeared to offer his own vision of justice in America, one defined by personal vengeance rather than by institutional principles.

From

No, the motive that is driving him to do everything he's doing is simple: vengeance.

From

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More About Vengeance

What doesvengeance mean?

Vengeance is a desire for revengeretaliation against or punishment of someone for some kind of harm that they caused or wrongdoing that they did (whether real or perceived).

It can also be used as an even more intense synonym for revenge.

Vengeance often involves deep anger and a perhaps obsessive desire to get even by inflicting similar harm to the person who initially harmed the person seeking revenge. When it means the same thing as revenge, vengeance is often planned out over a period of time.

The related adjective vengeful is used to describe someone who is determined to seek vengeance or someone who is inclined to seek vengeance—someone who is vindictive.

The phrase with a vengeance means with great violence or intensity, as in My allergies have come back with a vengeance—I’ve been sneezing all day.

Example: The vengeance in your heart will eat away at you, which is like letting your enemy defeat you yet again.

Where doesvengeance come from?

The first records of the word vengeance come from the 1200s. It comes from the Old French venger, meaning “to avenge,” from the Latin verb Ի徱, meaning “to protect,” “to avenge,” or “to punish.” The words revenge, avenge, vindicate, and vindictive are all based on the same root. The suffix -ance is used to form nouns.

Vengeance implies an intensity to one’s desire for revenge. It’s often used alongside words like fury and wrath in accounts of those who have been wronged in some way. The phrase “Vengeance is mine” comes from a Bible verse advising people not to seek revenge.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for vengeance?

What are some words that share a root or word element with vengeance?

What are some words that often get used in discussing vengeance?

How isvengeance used in real life?

The word vengeance is usually used in situations that involve serious wrongdoing, but it’s sometimes used in the context of less serious situations in order to be humorous.

Try usingvengeance!

True or False?

The word vengeance can be used as a synonym of revenge.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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