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retaliate

Meaning in simple English, pronunciation and examples

Pronunciation: US /rɪˈtælieɪt/

retaliate means: To hurt or attack someone because they have hurt or attacked you.

verb

HURT IN RETURNB2

To hurt or attack someone because they have hurt or attacked you.

  • He hit me, but I did not retaliate.
  • The country retaliated with new trade restrictions.
  • She threatened to retaliate against anyone who betrayed her.

How to use it: retaliate against someone (They retaliated against the group that attacked them.); retaliate for something (He retaliated for the insult by spreading a rumor.); retaliate with something (The government retaliated with higher taxes on imports.)

Similar words: strike back, hit back, take revenge

Common phrases: retaliate against someone, retaliate for something, retaliate with something, retaliate by doing something

Questions about retaliate

What does retaliate mean?

To hurt or attack someone because they have hurt or attacked you.

What is retaliate in other languages?

Türkçe: misilleme yapmak · Español: tomar represalias · Français: riposter · Deutsch: Vergeltung üben · Italiano: rivalersi · 日本語: 報復する

How do you pronounce retaliate?

It is pronounced /rɪˈtælieɪt/.

How do you use retaliate in a sentence?

He hit me, but I did not retaliate. The country retaliated with new trade restrictions.

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retaliate in other languages

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