What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
reprisal
Example
The company took reprisals against the employee who leaked confidential information. [reprisals: noun]
Example
The government threatened reprisals against the neighboring country for violating their airspace. [reprisals: plural noun]
retaliation
Example
The union threatened retaliation against the company for unfair labor practices. [retaliation: noun]
Example
The military launched a retaliation strike against the enemy for attacking their base. [retaliation: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Retaliation is more commonly used than reprisal in everyday language. Retaliation is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while reprisal is less common and often used in legal or military contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between reprisal and retaliation?
Both reprisal and retaliation can be used in formal and informal contexts, but reprisal may be more formal due to its legal and military associations.
