reprisal

noun

ri-ˈprī-zəl How to pronounce reprisal (audio)
Definition of reprisalnext
1
as in reparation
usually reprisals plural payment to another for a loss or injury a peace agreement that was rejected because it contained no provisions for reprisals

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2
as in retaliation
the act or an instance of responding to an injury with an injury after defeating them last year in the finals, our team nervously awaited the expected reprisal by our archrivals in this year's tournament

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of reprisal Given the difficulty of defending against drones, missiles, and bombs, large-scale attacks on critical infrastructure would likely have succeeded and invited reprisals in kind, leaving everyone worse off. — Richard Haass, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2026 The duo walks away from this skirmish, though not unscathed, as Samjad quickly and economically sets up a blistering saga of stylish reprisals with no holds barred. — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026 Also nominated in the Lead Actress in a drama category are Chase Infiniti for The Testaments’ first season and Zendaya for her reprisal of Rue in the third and final season of Euphoria. — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026 Both QBs return for a reprisal at the Big House, with Underwood under immense pressure after his Week 1 performance. — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reprisal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reprisal
  1. reparation
  2. retaliation
  3. damages
  4. revenge
  5. retribution
Noun
  • The perspective and agency of the protagonists shift, motivated by their desire for justice and reparations.
    — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
  • While the British government has consistently rejected calls for financial reparations, the Crown’s referral effectively delegates the legal parsing of these historical grievances to the Privy Council in London.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of reparation
Noun
  • To avoid a retaliation claim, keep decisions about Steve’s role, performance, and development consistent and documented, and loop in someone beyond his manager.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The other user spoke on condition of anonymity over fears of retaliation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of retaliation
Noun
  • Having presented what seemed to be a solid alibi, Archer won and was awarded £500,000 in damages.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Qualifying risks must involve more than $1 billion in damages or the deaths or serious injuries of over 50 people.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of damages
Noun
  • The Brewers were baseball’s best team in the regular season and were looking for revenge after the Dodgers swept them in dominant fashion on their way to the 2025 title.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
  • This week saw comings and goings at the White House, the revenge of a child (reality) star, and Elon Musk doing Elon Musk things.
    — Holly J. Morris, NPR, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of revenge
Noun
  • Three of the individuals spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution.
    — Ryan Lucas, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Over time, Buddhism introduced ideas of reincarnation and karmic retribution, linking a person's fate after death to their actions in life.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of retribution

Browse Nearby Words

reprints
reprisal
reprisals
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Cite this Entry

“Reprisal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reprisal. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on reprisal

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reprisal

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