reprisal Definition
- 1an act of retaliation against someone for injuries received, typically involving further violence or aggression.
- 2the forcible seizure of property or subjects in retaliation.
Using reprisal: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "reprisal" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The bombing was in reprisal for the assassination of their leader.
Example
The government threatened reprisals against any attempt to overthrow it.
Example
The company took reprisals against the workers who went on strike.
reprisal Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for reprisal
- retaliation
- payback
- retribution
- revenge
- vengeance
Antonyms for reprisal
Phrases with reprisal
Example
The country imposed trade restrictions in reprisal for the other country's tariffs.
Example
The country launched a reprisal attack against the enemy's military base.
reprisal killing
a killing carried out in revenge for another killing
Example
The family vowed to carry out a reprisal killing against the murderer of their relative.
Origins of reprisal
from Old French 'reprisaille', from medieval Latin 'reprisalia', from Latin 'reprehendere' meaning 'seize'
Summary: reprisal in Brief
The term 'reprisal' [riˈpraɪzl] refers to an act of retaliation against someone for injuries received, typically involving further violence or aggression. It can also mean the forcible seizure of property or subjects in retaliation. Examples include 'The bombing was in reprisal for the assassination of their leader.' and 'The company took reprisals against the workers who went on strike.' The phrase 'in reprisal for' is commonly used to indicate a response to something that has been done.