revenge
B2Predominantly neutral, but can become formal or literary in certain phrases (e.g., 'to revenge oneself upon'). Often has an intense, dramatic, or negative connotation.
Definition
Meaning
The act of harming or hurting someone in return for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands.
A strong, often passionate desire to retaliate or inflict punishment. In sports or games, defeating an opponent who previously defeated you. Can also function as a verb meaning to inflict such harm or punishment.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often carries a sense of personal, emotional, and morally complex retaliation, contrasted with the more impersonal or legal 'punishment' or 'justice.' The related verb 'avenge' focuses more on redressing a wrong done to another.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. The phrase 'revenge tragedy' is a standard literary term in both. Slight preference for 'avenge' over 'revenge' as a verb in more formal AmE registers.
Connotations
Both carry strong negative connotations of a destructive, personal cycle. In BrE, the phrase 'revenge is sweet' is slightly more idiomatic in common speech.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in BrE spoken corpora, often in tabloid headlines ('REVENGE OF THE...').
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
take revenge on somebody (for something)revenge oneself (up)on somebodybe revenged (on somebody)in revenge for somethingdo something in revengeget revenge (for something)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Revenge is a dish best served cold.”
- “revenge is sweet”
- “to have/get one's revenge”
- “out for revenge”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare; used metaphorically for competitive actions (e.g., 'The company launched a revenge takeover bid.').
Academic
Common in literary, historical, and psychological studies (e.g., 'the theme of revenge in Jacobean drama,' 'the neural correlates of revenge motivations').
Everyday
Common, especially in narratives about personal conflicts, sports, and entertainment (e.g., 'I'll get revenge on him for that prank.', 'The team is looking for revenge after last year's defeat.')
Technical
Used in game theory ('tit-for-tat revenge strategies') and some legal contexts, though 'retribution' is more technical in law.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He swore he would revenge himself on the traitors.
- She sought to revenge the dishonour done to her family.
American English
- He vowed to revenge the attack on his home.
- The film is about a father revenging his son's death.
adjective
British English
- The revenge attack was swift and brutal.
- He was driven by revenge motives.
American English
- The movie is a classic revenge fantasy.
- She plotted a revenge campaign against her critics.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The boy wanted revenge when his friend took his toy.
- In the story, the hero gets revenge on the bad king.
- After losing the match, the team wanted revenge in the next game.
- She took revenge by telling everyone his secret.
- The political assassination was an act of revenge for the earlier treaty.
- He spent years plotting his revenge against the corporation that ruined him.
- The concept of cyclical revenge underpins many of the region's intractable conflicts.
- Her memoir explores the psychological toll of forsaking revenge in favour of reconciliation.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
REVENGE = RE-VENGE. Think of a VENGEful feeling you feel AGAIN (RE-) after someone hurts you.
Conceptual Metaphor
REVENGE IS A SWEET FOOD (Revenge is sweet); REVENGE IS A DISH (best served cold); REVENGE IS A FORCE OF NATURE (a storm of revenge).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'revenge' for state/legal punishment (use 'punishment').
- Do not confuse with 'месть' which is a closer match, but 'revenge' is more personal and emotional than 'расплата' (which can be neutral).
- The verb 'to revenge' is less common than 'to avenge' and is reflexive ('revenge oneself'), unlike Russian 'мстить' which is used directly.
Common Mistakes
- *I will revenge him for my brother. (Incorrect verb pattern. Correct: I will avenge my brother OR I will take revenge on him.)
- *He did it for revenge of the insult. (Incorrect preposition. Correct: in revenge for the insult.)
- Using 'revenge' as a countable noun in singular without an article: *He wanted revenge on me. (Correct: He wanted revenge.)
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses 'revenge' CORRECTLY as a verb?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Revenge' is typically about personal retaliation to satisfy one's own feelings. 'Avenge' focuses on redressing a wrong done to someone else (often seen as more righteous). You avenge a person, you revenge yourself (on someone).
Yes, but it's less common than the noun and often sounds formal or literary. The standard verb pattern is reflexive: 'to revenge oneself on someone.' In modern usage, 'take revenge on' or 'get revenge on' are more frequent.
Predominantly yes, as it implies a harmful, emotionally-driven act outside formal justice. However, in contexts like sports or fiction ('revenge thriller'), it can be seen as a neutral motive or even celebrated.
When indicating the target, use 'on' (take revenge on him). When indicating the cause, use 'for' (revenge for the insult) or more formally 'in revenge for'.
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