avenge
verb
ə-ˈvenj 
avenged; avenging
transitive verb
1
: to take vengeance for or on behalf of
vowed to avenge their murdered father
2
: to exact satisfaction for (a wrong) by punishing the wrongdoer
was determined to avenge the assault
avenger noun
Synonyms
- redress
- requite
- retaliate
- revenge
- venge [archaic]
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The brothers vowed to avenge the death of their father. They vowed to avenge their father by capturing and punishing his killer.
Recent Examples on the Web Shot and nearly killed while in pursuit of the murderers, Godlock vows to avenge his son by any means necessary. 
Carole Horst, Variety, 17 May 2022 Alexander Skarsgård stars as Amleth, who seeks to avenge the murder of his father (Ethan Hawke) by his paternal uncle (Claes Bang). Matthew Gabriele, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2022 Rising from his seeming death, Joe reemerges as his former self, Ninja Kamui, to avenge his family and friends. Selome Hailu, Variety, 18 May 2022 The win allowed Duke to avenge last month’s 79-78 overtime road loss to Florida State as well as push into sole possession of first place in the ACC with Notre Dame’s loss at Wake Forest earlier Saturday. Aaron Beard, orlandosentinel.com, 19 Feb. 2022 My heart says that Wilder could avenge his defeat by knocking out his conqueror. Josh Katzowitz, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2021 Dave Kleckner, The Times’ boys’ basketball coach of the year, helped Etiwanda avenge disappointing losses to win their first regional championship. Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2021 In Monday’s CONCACAF W Championship, the Americans get a chance to avenge that setback, albeit with a lot of players who weren’t on the roster in Tokyo. Marisa Ingemi, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 July 2022 Alexander Skarsgård plays a berzerker with simple life goals – avenge his father, save his mother (Nicole Kidman), kill his uncle – in a crazy tale with Slavic witches, a bloody ball game and a naked sword fight on top of an active volcano. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 16 June 2022 See More
Carole Horst, Variety, 17 May 2022 Alexander Skarsgård stars as Amleth, who seeks to avenge the murder of his father (Ethan Hawke) by his paternal uncle (Claes Bang). Matthew Gabriele, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2022 Rising from his seeming death, Joe reemerges as his former self, Ninja Kamui, to avenge his family and friends. Selome Hailu, Variety, 18 May 2022 The win allowed Duke to avenge last month’s 79-78 overtime road loss to Florida State as well as push into sole possession of first place in the ACC with Notre Dame’s loss at Wake Forest earlier Saturday. Aaron Beard, orlandosentinel.com, 19 Feb. 2022 My heart says that Wilder could avenge his defeat by knocking out his conqueror. Josh Katzowitz, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2021 Dave Kleckner, The Times’ boys’ basketball coach of the year, helped Etiwanda avenge disappointing losses to win their first regional championship. Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2021 In Monday’s CONCACAF W Championship, the Americans get a chance to avenge that setback, albeit with a lot of players who weren’t on the roster in Tokyo. Marisa Ingemi, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 July 2022 Alexander Skarsgård plays a berzerker with simple life goals – avenge his father, save his mother (Nicole Kidman), kill his uncle – in a crazy tale with Slavic witches, a bloody ball game and a naked sword fight on top of an active volcano. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 16 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French avenger, from a- (from Latin ad-) + venger to avenge — more at vengeance
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing avenge
Kids Definition
avenge
verb
ə-ˈvenj
avenged; avenging
: to take revenge for
avenge a wrong
avenger
noun
as in vigilante
one who inflicts punishment in return for an injury or offense a novel about a man who becomes the obsessed avenger of his sister's death Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- vigilante
- punisher
- nemesis
- revenger
- chastiser
- scourge
- castigator
- righter
- redresser
- requiter
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- redeemer
- vindicator
- ransomer