vengeful

[venj-fuhl]

adjective

1. desiring or seeking vengeance; vindictive.

   a vengeful attitude.

   Synonyms: spiteful, revengeful

2. characterized by or showing a vindictive spirit.

   vengeful intentions.

3. serving to inflict vengeance.

   a vengeful killing.

vengeful

/ ˈvɛndʒfʊl /

adjective

1. desiring revenge; vindictive

2. characterized by or indicating a desire for revenge

   a vengeful glance

3. inflicting or taking revenge

   with vengeful blows

Other Word Forms

• vengefully adverb
• vengefulness noun
• unvengeful adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of vengeful¹

First recorded in 1580–90; shortened form of revengeful

Example Sentences

It’s reasonable to think that the president’s God and heaven talk is an attempt to soften his cruel image and to make his vengeful policies more palatable.

From Salon

In Prime Video’s thriller, Pratt plays a vengeful soldier — with none of the charm he brought to ‘Parks and Recreation’ and ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’

From Los Angeles Times

It’s a book written for the vengeful adolescent in all of us.

From Salon

Less discussed has been Milioti’s metamorphosis into the internally and externally scarred Sofia, hard as Gotham’s most brutal gangsters and free of the ties of conscience that could bind vengeful hands.

From Los Angeles Times

"Zach was never bitter, he wasn't vengeful at all, he was the most kind man and he adored his years of service," said Anna-Louise.

From BBC

Related Words

• antagonistic 
• hostile 
• vindictive 

When To Use

What does vengeful mean?

Vengeful is used to describe someone who is determined to get revenge—retaliation against or punishment of someone for some kind of harm that they caused or wrongdoing that they did (whether real or perceived).Vengeful also means inclined to seek revenge. The adjective vindictive is a close synonym. A much less commonly used synonym is revengeful.Vengeful can be used to describe people or their actions or attitude.Revenge often involves an attempt to get even by inflicting similar harm to the person who initially harmed the person seeking revenge. Revenge has several other synonyms that each have different shades of meaning, including retribution, retaliation, and reprisal. But more than these words, revenge implies that such retaliation is personal and motivated by a deep anger and perhaps an obsessive desire to get even. This is often what it means when someone is described as vengeful.Example: Being vengeful does more damage to you than to the person you are intent on destroying.