With its prefix re-, meaning "back", retribution means literally "payback". And indeed we usually use it when talking about personal revenge, whether it's retribution for an insult in a high-school corridor or …

Definition of retribution noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

retribution (ˌrɛtrɪˈbjuːʃən) n 1. the act of punishing or taking vengeance for wrongdoing, sin, or injury 2. punishment or vengeance

They fled because they feared retribution for the genocide. She was asked whether a civilian government should seek retribution against military officers involved in human rights abuses. Many …

RETRIBUTION definition: requital according to merits or deserts, especially for evil. See examples of retribution used in a sentence.

Retribution is the act of taking revenge. If you pull a prank on someone, expect retribution.

Dec 18, 2025 · Whereas retribution focuses on the offender's wrong, retaliation focuses on the impulse of the victim (or of those who sympathize with him) to strike back at the offender.

Retribution is punishment for a crime, especially punishment that is carried out by someone other than the official authorities.

retribution, n. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary

Retributive justice is a legal concept whereby the criminal offender receives punitive damages proportional or similar to the crime. As opposed to revenge, retribution—and thus retributive …