as in vindictive
likely to seek revenge
a vengeful person never lets go of a grudge
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vengeful
Even before the positive results are in, Matteo turns out to be a chip off the old block by joining McGee in apprehending the kidnapper, a vengeful TURF staff cook.
—
Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s bellicose and vengeful rhetoric describing the military’s war in Iran grew out of his experience in Iraq.
—Patricia Cohen Michael Crowley John Ismay David M. Halbfinger, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
The two become a secret couple, and in a funny way this movie about the transcendence of the maternal bond turns on Ledger’s evolving emotions — his realization that Kenna is a good woman, and that blaming her for Scotty’s death was shortsighted and too vengeful.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 11 Mar. 2026
Genre expectations demand a certain level of peril and bloodshed, but seeing Monster register his suffering doubled at the end of Bride of Frankenstein is too poignant to only depict the Bride as violent and vengeful thereafter.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vengeful
Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s bellicose and vengeful rhetoric describing the military’s war in Iran grew out of his experience in Iraq.
—Patricia Cohen Michael Crowley John Ismay David M. Halbfinger, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
The two become a secret couple, and in a funny way this movie about the transcendence of the maternal bond turns on Ledger’s evolving emotions — his realization that Kenna is a good woman, and that blaming her for Scotty’s death was shortsighted and too vengeful.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 11 Mar. 2026
Genre expectations demand a certain level of peril and bloodshed, but seeing Monster register his suffering doubled at the end of Bride of Frankenstein is too poignant to only depict the Bride as violent and vengeful thereafter.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vengeful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vengeful
Adjective
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That timeline is a key part of the argument Smartmatic laid out in its March 10 filing, which is asking the court to dismiss the charges as amounting to unlawfully vindictive against the company.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
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That was the Harvey that many people remember — crude, profane and vindictive.—
Maer Roshan,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Mar. 2026
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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Its tulle is brittle and sharp, brushing against my fur like a thousand tiny teeth, a cruel lover that bites with every move.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
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Because here’s the last, and cruelest, kicker.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Moreover, this isn’t your responsibility, particularly after a history of such vicious attacks.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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Be cautious — but don’t write off rattlesnakes as vicious, the experts say.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The malicious actor hacked into Weiss’s contact’s Telegram, arranged a video call with him, and attempted to run a script on his computer to get his passwords.—
Carlos Garcia,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
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There’s nothing malicious or negative about [their split].—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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For generations, students have learned about complex historical figures who, despite their positive contributions to society, were inarguably problematic, hateful or bigoted while alive.—
Kristy Hutchings,
Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
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Why would the Sun Sentinel print opinions clearly based on nothing but hateful personal feelings?—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The 45th president’s victory in the crowded 2016 primary effectively toppled the existing Republican Establishment, injecting the party with a combination of populism and distrust that was especially hostile to the way things were done before.—
Alex J. Rouhandeh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
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Customers will keep fighting back with dirty returns, unused reservations and hostile reviews.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Examples of petty beatings also abound, like footage from December showing two guys in Leeds, UK tossing a delivery robot into a bush, or video of one bot cracked open and left for dead on a Los Angeles sidewalk.—
Joe Wilkins,
Futurism,
2 Apr. 2026
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His distracted state gave him practically no leverage to overcome Senate President Bill Ferguson’s blockade against his petty redistricting effort.—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vengeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vengeful. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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