revengeful

adjective

ri-ˈvenj-fəl How to pronounce revengeful (audio)
Definition of revengefulnext
as in vengeful
likely to seek revenge the minister urged his congregation to be less revengeful and more forgiving in spirit

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 revengeful 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 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 This latest installment finds the Sully family grieving one of their own when a new threat emerges in the form of the Fire tribe, an antagonistic group of Na’vi volcano-dwellers led by the revengeful Varang (Oona Chaplin in her franchise debut). — Jack Dunn, Variety, 2 Dec. 2025 Eventually, this revengeful streak will result in loneliness and isolation. — Nicole Froio, refinery29.com, 29 Oct. 2024 Artemis was revengeful toward anyone who trespassed in wild nature, and trespassing could mean neglect, like not paying your dues. — Robert Sullivan, Vogue, 20 June 2023 The club came back with wins over Heights Norhill and a revengeful victory over Post Oak on Sunday, but leaving the bases loaded three times is going to all but ruin any team’s hopes for a big win. — Robert Avery, Houston Chronicle, 9 July 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for revengeful
  1. vengeful
  2. vindictive
  3. cruel
  4. malicious
  5. vicious
  6. hateful
  7. hostile
  8. petty
Adjective
  • In her latest book, Stay Buried, siblings new to a remote Vermont town discover that the locals live in fear of a vengeful spirit.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 2 Sep. 2026
  • And the who, what and why of the vengeful spirit is the narrative pull of the play — along with the tense anticipation of more revelations, suspicions and shocks.
    — Frank Rizzo, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of vengeful
Adjective
  • Even her decision to send Bernard out to clean feels more vindictive than logical.
    — Noel Murray, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Family blames cousin’s conviction on a vindictive ex, but the letter writer’s history with him suggests a different story.
    — Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of vindictive
Adjective
  • Having Sheridan actually be a cruel person was one of the key audience expectations the writer-director hoped to flip in the pursuit of laughs.
    — William Earl, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
  • But Triage does have a moment in which an ember of the old cruel optimism flickers.
    — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of cruel
Adjective
  • Strong antivirus software can help warn you about malicious downloads or suspicious websites.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Radha had always believed that the world was evil and people malicious.
    — Akhil Sharma, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of malicious
Adjective
  • Your husband merely identified the obvious, most vicious enemy of the people in straightforward terms.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Democrats have little trouble understanding that the right-wing infighting over Carlson is about whether the Republican tent, which already includes racists, nativists, and vicious Islamophobes, is also big enough to include anti-Semites.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of vicious
Adjective
  • Yiannopoulos’ acerbic and at times hateful speech attracted the fury of students who argued his views should not be platformed.
    — Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Grabs a ketchup bottle and garnishes his face, before squirting mustard into his hateful, piggish eyes.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of hateful
Adjective
  • Kuwait's army said its air defence systems were targeting hostile missile and drone attacks.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Some recent laws, including the Safer Skies Act of 2025, grant state and local agencies (though not private-sector entities) greater license to detect and track hostile drones.
    — Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of hostile
Adjective
  • But armed officers dressed in camouflage alongside military vehicles have apparently not acted as enough of a deterrent to petty criminals.
    — Antonia Mortensen, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The jury found both Morrow and Stanley guilty of petty misdemeanor charges of obstructing federal property, disrupting government officials’ duties and failing to comply with officials’ orders.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of petty

Browse Nearby Words

revenged
revengeful
revenger
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Revengeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/revengeful. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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