avenge

[ uh-venj ]
/ əˈvɛndʒ /

verb (used with object), a·venged, a·veng·ing.

to take vengeance or exact satisfaction for: to avenge a grave insult.
to take vengeance on behalf of: He avenged his brother.

Origin of avenge

1325–75; Middle English avengen < Old French avengier, equivalent to a- a-5 + vengier < Latin vindicāre; see vindicate

SYNONYMS FOR avenge

vindicate.

ANTONYMS FOR avenge

1 forgive.

synonym study for avenge

Avenge, revenge both imply to inflict pain or harm in return for pain or harm inflicted on oneself or those persons or causes to which one feels loyalty. The two words were formerly interchangeable, but have been differentiated until they now convey widely diverse ideas. Avenge is now restricted to inflicting punishment as an act of retributive justice or as a vindication of propriety: to avenge a murder by bringing the criminal to trial. Revenge implies inflicting pain or harm to retaliate for real or fancied wrongs; a reflexive pronoun is often used with this verb: Iago wished to revenge himself upon Othello.

OTHER WORDS FROM avenge

Words nearby avenge

avedon, aveiro, avel, avellaneda, avenaceous, avenge, avens, aventail, aventine, aventurine, avenue

British Dictionary definitions for avengeful

avenge
/ (əˈvɛndʒ) /

verb

(usually tr) to inflict a punishment in retaliation for (harm, injury, etc) done to (a person or persons); take revenge for or on behalf of to avenge a crime; to avenge a murdered friend

Derived forms of avenge

avenger, noun

Word Origin for avenge

C14: from Old French avengier, from vengier, from Latin vindicāre; see vengeance, vindicate

usage for avenge

The use of avenge with a reflexive pronoun was formerly considered incorrect, but is now acceptable: she avenged herself on the man who killed her daughter