revenge

/rəˈvɛndʒ/

/rɪˈvɛndʒ/

Other forms: revenged; revenging; revenges

Someone seeking revenge is looking to retaliate for a wrong that has been done.

Sometimes a word can be used as either a noun or a verb, without changing the spelling. That's the case with revenge. You can take revenge (noun) on someone who hurt you, or you can revenge (verb) the hurt, punishing the person who wronged you. While revenge may be sweet, it usually just leads to more revenge from the other side, and so on. While that makes a good Shakespeare play, it can get pretty wearing in real life.

Definitions of revenge

1. noun

   action taken in return for an injury or offense
   synonyms: retaliation, revanche

   types:

   payback, retribution, vengeance

   the act of taking revenge (harming someone in retaliation for something harmful that they have done) especially in the next life

   reprisal

   a retaliatory action against an enemy in wartime

   type of:

   getting even, paying back, return

   a reciprocal group action
2. verb

   take revenge for a perceived wrong
   synonyms: avenge, retaliate

   types:

   get back, get even

   take revenge or even out a score

   fix, get, pay back, pay off

   take vengeance on or get even

   type of:

   penalise, penalize, punish, sanction

   impose a penalty on; inflict punishment on