Vengefully: meaning, definitions and examples

Used when someone is motivated by a strong desire to harm someone in return for a perceived wrongdoing. It often indicates a personal or emotional drive.

• She acted vengefully after discovering the betrayal.
• He plotted vengefully against his rivals.

Used generally in legal or formal contexts to describe actions taken in response to a previous offense. These actions are often systematic or official.

• The company took retaliatory measures after the lawsuit.
• Retaliatory tariffs were imposed on imported goods.

Usually used in the context of justice or punishment, where actions are taken to distribute consequences that are deemed fair or deserved.

• The court delivered a retributive sentence for the crime.
• The community demanded retributive actions for the corruption scandal.

Typically used in a formal or military setting when referring to acts of retaliation or counterattack, often by one state against another.

• The country launched a reprisal attack after the breach of their borders.
• Fear of reprisal kept many citizens from speaking out.

Used to describe actions or emotions driven by a strong desire for revenge, usually with negative connotations. Often implies a sense of personal bitterness or spite.

• She glared at him vengefully, plotting her next move.
• He acted vengefully, making sure his rival suffered.

An archaic or less common term, mostly used in literary or poetic contexts to describe someone or something that embodies a spirit of vengeance.

• In the tale, the vengeant spirit haunted those who wronged her.
• The vengeant knight sought recompense for his family's honor.

Typically used in contexts involving the act of seeking justice or retribution for a wrong, often in a more formal or dramatic setting. It can imply a righteous or justified action.

• He spent years avenging his brother's death.
• The hero is avenging the wrongs done to his people.

Formal term often used in discussions about justice systems or moral philosophy, focusing on the concept of deserved punishment instead of personal vendetta.

• The legal system should be retributive and fair.
• She believed in retributive justice, where punishment fits the crime.