avenge

verb

avenged; avenging

transitive verb

1
: to take vengeance for or on behalf of
vowed to avenge their murdered father
2
: to exact satisfaction for (a wrong) by punishing the wrongdoer
was determined to avenge the assault
avenger noun

Examples of avenge in a Sentence

The brothers vowed to avenge the death of their father. They vowed to avenge their father by capturing and punishing his killer.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
MacDonald imagines Kirk looking down from a window in Heaven as his children grow up, and the right unites to avenge his death. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2025 Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba linked up for two goals in a 3-1 Inter Miami home win against the Seattle Sounders, as the men in pink avenged their painful Leagues Cup final loss to Seattle. Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025 In what will be the final battle for the Iron Skillet for the forseeable future, TCU will look to avenge last season’s lopsided loss. Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Sep. 2025 The movie tells the story of a teenager avenging the deaths of his family at the hands of hordes of carnivorous demons and, against all the odds, it has been embraced by critics and audiences alike. Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for avenge

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French avenger, from a- (from Latin ad-) + venger to avenge — more at vengeance

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of avenge was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Avenge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avenge. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

avenge

verb
avenged; avenging
: to take vengeance for (an action) or on behalf of (a person)
avenger noun

More from Merriam-Webster on avenge

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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