revanche: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, literary, historical, political.
Quick answer
What does “revanche” mean?
Revenge.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Revenge; especially, a policy or desire to regain lost territory or political standing, often following a military defeat.
A general desire for retaliation or a comeback in any competitive field (e.g., politics, sports, business).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Very rare in both, but marginally more likely in British historical/political commentary. No significant syntactic differences.
Connotations
Both varieties strongly associate it with European history (e.g., post-1871 French 'revanchism' against Germany).
Frequency
Extremely low-frequency in both. Much less common than native synonyms like 'revenge' or 'retaliation'.
Grammar
How to Use “revanche” in a Sentence
revanche for [defeat/humiliation]revanche against [nation/opponent]to seek revancheVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “revanche” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The concept is not used as a verb in standard English.
American English
- The concept is not used as a verb in standard English.
adverb
British English
- The concept is not used as an adverb in standard English.
American English
- The concept is not used as an adverb in standard English.
adjective
British English
- The revanchist policies of the regime were a threat to regional stability.
- He held a revanchist view of the colonial past.
American English
- The senator was accused of revanchist rhetoric regarding the trade war.
- A revanchist faction within the party demanded stronger action.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Could describe a company's aggressive campaign to reclaim market share.
Academic
Used in historical, political science, or international relations texts discussing post-conflict politics.
Everyday
Virtually never used. 'Revenge' or 'payback' are used instead.
Technical
Not a technical term in standard fields.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “revanche”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “revanche”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “revanche”
- Using it for personal, petty revenge (too strong/formal).
- Mispronouncing it as /ˈriː.væntʃ/ (like 're-venture').
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'to revanche' – not standard).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a very low-frequency, specialised loanword primarily used in formal or historical writing about politics and war.
'Revenge' is a general term for retaliation, often personal. 'Revanche' specifically implies a formal, often national or political, effort to reverse the consequences of a defeat, especially territorial loss.
It would sound extremely unusual and pretentious. Native speakers would use 'revenge', 'payback', 'retaliation', or 'comeback' depending on the context.
Yes, in political commentary, the adjective 'revanchist' is encountered more frequently than the noun 'revanche' to describe policies, attitudes, or groups seeking such retaliation.
Revenge.
Revanche is usually formal, literary, historical, political. in register.
Revanche: in British English it is pronounced /rɪˈvɑːnʃ/, and in American English it is pronounced /rɪˈvæntʃ/ /reɪˈvɑːnʃ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A politics of revanche”
- “The revanche of history”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the French phrase 'revanche' sounding like 'RE-VAN-quish' – to vanquish again, to get back what was lost.
Conceptual Metaphor
POLITICS/COMPETITION IS WAR (extended to post-war period). A NATION IS A PERSON SEEKING REDRESS.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'revanche' MOST appropriately used?