1
as in reparation
usually reprisals plural
payment to another for a loss or injury
a peace agreement that was rejected because it contained no provisions for reprisals
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2
as in retaliation
the act or an instance of responding to an injury with an injury
after defeating them last year in the finals, our team nervously awaited the expected reprisal by our archrivals in this year's tournament
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reprisal
One pet shop owner in Tehran, who spoke on the condition of anonymity like others for fear of reprisals, said his business had fallen by 90% since the protests.
—
Elena Becatoros, Arkansas Online, 20 Jan. 2026
Eyewitness accounts are scant, and those who do report on the situation usually do so anonymously for fear of reprisals.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 16 Jan. 2026
Tehran has threatened the US with reprisals were it to be attacked, alongside conciliatory signals, including the suspension of a protester’s execution.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 15 Jan. 2026
The post-protest reprisals are meant to frighten people into silence.
—Elizabeth Palmer, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reprisal
Elena Becatoros, Arkansas Online, 20 Jan. 2026
Eyewitness accounts are scant, and those who do report on the situation usually do so anonymously for fear of reprisals.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 16 Jan. 2026
Tehran has threatened the US with reprisals were it to be attacked, alongside conciliatory signals, including the suspension of a protester’s execution.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 15 Jan. 2026
The post-protest reprisals are meant to frighten people into silence.
—Elizabeth Palmer, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reprisal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reprisal
Noun
-
None of the victims or their descendants received any direct reparations from the city or state.—
Caleb Gayle,
The Atlantic,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Program staff help with translation and annual reparations applications to the Claims Conference.—
Dana Toppel,
Oc Register,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The Chinese government reacted by telling Chinese citizens not to travel to Japan, threatening economic retaliation, and pulling the plug on meetings that were long planned, putting a pretty deep freeze on China-Japan relations.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
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And second, while owner Jeff Bezos may have protected his space company from presidential retaliation, there’s no sign the Post won any benefits from the president or his movement.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Losses could put the tech firms on the hook for billions of dollars in damages and force them to change their platforms.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
If the companies are found liable, the jury will consider whether to award Kaley damages for pain and suffering, and could also impose punitive damages.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Uxbridge Police Department in Massachusetts posted a tongue-in-cheek poem urging residents to get revenge by reporting exes with active warrants.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
15 Feb. 2026
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The Cyclones earned some revenge for an 84-63 loss at Kansas that started the Jayhawks’ run of Big 12 wins.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That threat, and Chinese retribution that followed — warnings to Chinese tourists to avoid Japan, a ban on Japanese seafood imports, moves to choke off Chinese rare earth exports — triggered a nationalist rally-around-the-flag surge.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
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The win perhaps felt like retribution for the last Super Bowl between these teams.—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reprisal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reprisal. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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