as in revenge
the act or an instance of responding to an injury with an injury
we are hoping to get payback for the humiliating defeat we suffered at the hands of our rivals during our last matchup
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
pay back
2 of 2phrase
as in reimburse
to make a return payment to
I already paid back what I owed you for groceries.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of payback
Sean Rameswaram, Vox, 2 May 2025
Many of his statements reviewed by NPR suggest motivations based on personal grievances, partisan politics and a desire for payback.
—Tom Dreisbach, NPR, 29 Apr. 2025
As a form of payback, the OP asked her 38-year-old friend to pretend to be her boyfriend and accompany her to Easter dinner with her father and his younger partner.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
However, after Daly previously morphed Coel's Shania into a monstrous alien creature as payback for her stepping in to defend Nannette from one of Daly's assaults, Brooker's new story reveals her grim fate amid the video game's contentious landscape.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for payback
Noun
But Bolton wouldn’t go that far, even after 100 days of payback.
—Sean Rameswaram, Vox, 2 May 2025
Many of his statements reviewed by NPR suggest motivations based on personal grievances, partisan politics and a desire for payback.
—Tom Dreisbach, NPR, 29 Apr. 2025
As a form of payback, the OP asked her 38-year-old friend to pretend to be her boyfriend and accompany her to Easter dinner with her father and his younger partner.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
However, after Daly previously morphed Coel's Shania into a monstrous alien creature as payback for her stepping in to defend Nannette from one of Daly's assaults, Brooker's new story reveals her grim fate amid the video game's contentious landscape.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for payback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for payback
Noun
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While Matty hunts for clues and argues cases, Bates covertly thumbs through the psychological layers of a woman on a well-meaning revenge mission.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 May 2025
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Still, the Yankees, fresh off a sweep over the Angels after a 1-0 win on Wednesday, would love to extract some regular season revenge with a group that looks noticeably different than the one that the Dodgers knocked down on baseball’s biggest stage.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
29 May 2025
Noun
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However, a current DOJ official, speaking to WIRED on the condition of anonymity due to fear of retribution, defended the collection and retention of migrant DNA.—
Dhruv Mehrotra,
Wired News,
29 May 2025
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Claims from staffers included being penalized for taking medical leave, repeated racial microaggressions and fear of retribution for raising complaints about working conditions.—
Erica Marrison,
People.com,
26 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Payback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/payback. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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