avenge

C2+ Topic:Verbs of Movement

US /əˈvɛndʒ/ UK /əˈvɛndʒ/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to inflict harm in return for a wrong done

He swore to avenge his brother's murder before the year was out.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to inflict harm in return... revenge retaliate requite vindicate punish redress

Opposites

forgive pardon absolve excuse

Word family

Forms unavenged

Derived forms avengeravengementavenging

Related forms vengeancevengefulrevenge vindicate

Etymology

From Old French avengier, from a- (Latin ad-, 'to') + vengier ('to take vengeance'), from Latin vindicare ('to claim, avenge'), from vindex ('avenger, claimant').

vindicare Latin vindex Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Verbs of Movement

External links

# avenge

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /əˈvɛndʒ/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈvɛndʒ/

## Meanings
1. to inflict harm in return for a wrong done

## Examples
- He swore to avenge his brother's murder before the year was out.

## Synonyms
- revenge
- retaliate
- requite
- vindicate
- punish
- redress

## Antonyms
- forgive
- pardon
- absolve
- excuse

## Derived Forms
- avenger
- avengement
- avenging

## Related Forms
- vengeance
- vengeful
- revenge
- vindicate

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: vindicare
- Root: vindex

## Etymology
From Old French avengier, from a- (Latin ad-, 'to') + vengier ('to take vengeance'), from Latin vindicare ('to claim, avenge'), from vindex ('avenger, claimant').

## AI Etymology
Avenge is a verb meaning "to inflict harm in return for a wrong done". Historically, it is from Old French avengier, from a- (Latin ad-, 'to') + vengier ('to take vengeance'), from Latin vindicare ('to claim, avenge'), from vindex ('avenger, claimant'). The visible construction is part of the etymology: avenge is not just an unanalyzed simple word. The historical chain links Latin vindicare with Latin vindex. Close English family members include avenger, avengement, avenging, vengeance, and vengeful.

## Topics
- Verbs of Movement

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