retribution
noun
Did you know?
With its prefix re-, meaning "back", retribution means literally "payback". And indeed we usually use it when talking about personal revenge, whether it's retribution for an insult in a high-school corridor or retribution for a guerrilla attack on a government building. But retribution isn't always so personal: God takes "divine retribution" on humans several times in the Old Testament, especially in the great Flood that wipes out almost the entire human race. And retribution for criminal acts, usually in the form of a prison sentence, is taken by the state, not the victims.
Examples of retribution in a Sentence
David Ansen, Newsweek, 16 June 1986
The two purposes that sustain the death penalty … in the Court's view are general deterrence and retribution.
—Thurgood Marshall, Gregg v. Georgia, 1976
" … As for Cordelia, she went insane with remorse and was shut up in a lunatic asylum. I thought that was a poetical retribution for her crime."
—Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables, 1908
The killer acted without fear of retribution.
the neighborhood is being torn apart by an endless cycle of gang violence and retribution
Daniel Hall, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2025
The finale found Dan seeking financial retribution from the pharmaceutical company responsible for Roseanne's opioid overdose.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
In their pursuit of truth, faculty, students, and staff are free to exchange ideas and opinions across a full range of viewpoints without fear of retribution, censorship, or deportation.
—Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 22 Apr. 2025
Palestinian activist speaks out after Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan's charity halts funding
For her part, Najeeb views the funding cut as part of a broader trend of organizations distancing themselves from pro-Palestinian views for fear of retribution.
—Sophie Carson, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for retribution
Cite this Entry
“Retribution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retribution. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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retribution
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