as in revengeful
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Recent Examples of retaliatory
And so this clearly appears to be a retaliatory act for jokes made on the air.
—
Josef Adalian, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2026
Iranian Vice President Esmael Saghab Esfahani said any strike on the country’s oil wells would prompt a retaliatory attack, according to a statement carried by the semiofficial Mehr News Agency.
—Sarah Dean, NBC news, 25 Apr. 2026
The department paid nearly $3 million to former employees since 2019 to settle accusations of pay, age, gender and disability discrimination, whistleblower protection violations, and retaliatory firings.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
Mediators in Islamabad have acted as a go-between for Tehran and Washington after the US-Israeli assault on Iran and retaliatory Iranian strikes triggered regional violence.
—Alayna Treene, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
The lawsuit claims Mavromatis experienced retaliatory consequences for raising concerns about the harassment and hostile work environment.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2026
While the area experienced a two-day outbreak of retaliatory violence and road blockades earlier this year following the killing of a drug cartel leader by the government, no international tourists were harmed during the incidents and Puerto Vallarta is by all accounts back to business as usual.
—Carole Dixon, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026
Her claims involving a retaliatory smear campaign will move forward to the trial next month.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 19 Apr. 2026
But both Iran and America sometimes struggle to fully trust Pakistan, which launched retaliatory airstrikes on Iranian territory in January 2024 — killing at least nine people — and also provided assistance to the Afghan Taliban against American troops.
—Philippe Welti, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026
Josef Adalian, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2026
Iranian Vice President Esmael Saghab Esfahani said any strike on the country’s oil wells would prompt a retaliatory attack, according to a statement carried by the semiofficial Mehr News Agency.
—Sarah Dean, NBC news, 25 Apr. 2026
The department paid nearly $3 million to former employees since 2019 to settle accusations of pay, age, gender and disability discrimination, whistleblower protection violations, and retaliatory firings.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
Mediators in Islamabad have acted as a go-between for Tehran and Washington after the US-Israeli assault on Iran and retaliatory Iranian strikes triggered regional violence.
—Alayna Treene, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
The lawsuit claims Mavromatis experienced retaliatory consequences for raising concerns about the harassment and hostile work environment.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2026
While the area experienced a two-day outbreak of retaliatory violence and road blockades earlier this year following the killing of a drug cartel leader by the government, no international tourists were harmed during the incidents and Puerto Vallarta is by all accounts back to business as usual.
—Carole Dixon, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026
Her claims involving a retaliatory smear campaign will move forward to the trial next month.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 19 Apr. 2026
But both Iran and America sometimes struggle to fully trust Pakistan, which launched retaliatory airstrikes on Iranian territory in January 2024 — killing at least nine people — and also provided assistance to the Afghan Taliban against American troops.
—Philippe Welti, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retaliatory
Adjective
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DeMar DeRozan had 32, Russell Westbrook had a revengeful 22 and Malik Monk had 26 off the bench.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
13 Jan. 2026
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Brian Heil played Don Jose with angst and ultimately, revengeful rage as Carmen’s spurned lover.—
Marcia Luttrell,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Any government action against a licensee would cause a protracted legal battle, even more so given the current media-bashing climate, because a station would likely cite Trump’s retributive streak and mount a First Amendment case.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
15 Mar. 2026
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The images captured by bystanders and immigration agents were reminiscent of the lynching postcards that white spectators once bought and traded — reproductions of retributive violence, tailor-made to titillate and intimidate.—
Tressie McMillan Cottom,
Mercury News,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The union picked up $50,000 from United Teachers Los Angeles and another $50,000 from Smart Justice California, a group focused on less punitive public safety strategies.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
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And consequences shouldn’t be punitive.—
Krista Spurgin,
Denver Post,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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My administration will modernize oversight by making more commission data, disciplinary outcomes and policy decisions accessible to the public.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
4 May 2026
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Inmates who have disciplinary issues such as committing an assault in prison can be reclassified, at least temporarily, to a more restrictive environment, Fitzpatrick said.—
Amy McDaniel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 May 2026
Adjective
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The charges included seven counts of falsifying a record and one felony count of abuse of a resident of a penal facility.—
Nichole Manna,
ProPublica,
28 Apr. 2026
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In the new South, one scrabbling to industrialize, business owners could now hire unpaid labor through the penal system.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Retaliatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retaliatory. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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