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Definition of vengeance in English:

vengeance

Pronunciation /ˈvenjəns/ /ˈvɛndʒəns/

See synonyms for vengeance

Translate vengeance into Spanish

noun

  • Punishment inflicted or retribution exacted for an injury or wrong.

    ‘voters are ready to wreak vengeance on all politicians’
    • ‘So in the end it sort of has a happy ending, in that you get to see Grace exact vengeance.’
    • ‘If they fail, the electorate in due course exacts its vengeance by throwing them out.’
    • ‘I have no qualms with the premise of a pimp exacting vengeance from beyond the grave.’
    • ‘The point of a mystery is that the culprit is revealed to general surprise, not that vengeance is exacted for his crime.’
    • ‘The official machinery was blatantly misused to wreak vengeance and carry out vendetta.’
    • ‘It is blatantly unethical to wreak vengeance upon innocent bystanders.’
    • ‘The novel is a tale of vengeance wreaked by one jealous twin on her sister across decades, cities and continents.’
    • ‘It would be a sin to wreak vengeance on the innocent, but it would be a temptation very tough to control.’
    • ‘The blood of these innocents will cry out to Heaven for vengeance and vengeance will be theirs.’
    • ‘When do we mark the passage from justice to vengeance and from vengeance to new injustice?’
    • ‘How can the death penalty been seen as anything other than vengeance?’
    • ‘I say that the death penalty can act as both deterrent and public vengeance upon the perpetrator.’
    • ‘We still have a few scores to settle and last week was a great start to achieving the satisfaction of vengeance.’
    • ‘To some extent, therefore, retribution reflects society's desire for vengeance.’
    • ‘In the end, I set the game of chess back a few hundred years and Robert had his vengeance.’
    • ‘But such cathartic vengeance would do nothing to curb the menace of transnational terrorism.’
    • ‘A young chicken farmer is torn apart when he's caught between vengeance and his love of a churn girl.’
    • ‘He was also accused of seeking vengeance against colleagues who reported his corruption.’
    • ‘But even I will admit that England achieved more than vengeance against Argentina.’
    revenge, avengement, retribution, retributive justice, retaliation, requital, reprisal
    View synonyms

Phrases

    with a vengeance

    • Used to emphasize the degree to which something occurs or is true.

      ‘her headache was back with a vengeance’
      • ‘I tear at the paper with a vengeance to reveal that my dream had come true also.’
      • ‘Two months later, arthritis returned with a vengeance and he had no recourse but to go back to the acupuncturist.’
      • ‘The Manchester United empire continues to strike back with a vengeance rather than crumbling away.’
      • ‘What the summer proved beyond doubt is that the gulf between Northern and Southern Hemisphere rugby is back with a vengeance.’
      • ‘After that, reality will click back in with a vengeance as they face a test as tough as any exam - trying to survive financially.’
      • ‘Though early in the mission, the Metallica plan appears to be working with a vengeance.’
      • ‘The Wiltshire Festival is set to return this summer - and the organisers say it will be back with a vengeance.’
      • ‘Make no mistake, as a father I abhor these people with a vengeance.’
      • ‘Locals say a lot of this woodland is regrowth that's come back with a vengeance, in the absence of fire and rabbits.’
      • ‘Day traders are back with a vengeance, illustrated by the increased traffic at online trading sites.’

Origin

Middle English from Old French, from venger, vengier ‘avenge’, from Latin vindicare ‘vindicate’.