What is another word that means retribution?
David Craig
Updated on March 11, 2026
What is another word that means retribution?
In this page you can discover 34 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for retribution, like: retaliation, reward, revenge, recompense, reprisal, nemesis, requital, vengeance, punishment, compensation and justice.
What does it mean to exact retribution?
To retaliate or get revenge.
What is the opposite of retribution?
Antonyms: compassion, excuse, forgiveness, grace, mercy, pardon, pardon, pity, reconciliation. Synonyms: avenging, requital, retaliation, revenge, vengeance.
What is an example of retribution?
Retribution comes from the Latin for giving back what’s due, either reward or punishment. But when we talk about retribution, we only talk about punishment. The old punishment code of “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,” is an example of retribution.
What is another word for retributive justice?
What is another word for retributive justice?
| poetic justice | just deserts |
|---|---|
| retribution | virtue rewarded |
| warrantability | reprisal |
| retaliation | vengeance |
| revenge | requital |
What is the meaning of retributive justice?
retributive justice, response to criminal behaviour that focuses on the punishment of lawbreakers and the compensation of victims. In general, the severity of the punishment is proportionate to the seriousness of the crime.
What is social retribution?
Why Is Retribution Used? When society executes retribution on criminals by means of fines, incarceration or death, these punishments are a social expression of the personal vengeance the criminal’s victims feel, rationally confined (it is hoped) to what is best for society as a whole.
Is retribution the same as revenge?
Revenge responds to any harms or insults; retribution responds solely to moral wrongs. Revenge involves a desire to see the wrongdoer suffer; retribution seeks justice.
Is retribution same as payback?
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 retribution for a guerrilla attack on a government building.
What is retribution in the Bible?
Repayment for moral guilt or virtue. Recompense for injustices was exacted by human custom and law in Biblical history, just as rewards were allotted by human agents in return for good actions.
What are the 3 principles of retribution?
The concept of retributive justice has been used in a variety of ways, but it is best understood as that form of justice committed to the following three principles: (1) that those who commit certain kinds of wrongful acts, paradigmatically serious crimes, morally deserve to suffer a proportionate punishment; (2) that …
Why is retribution wrong?
Under retribution, it is improper to allow guilty individuals to go unpunished. Because punishment must be deserved and follow culpable actions, it is inappropriate to deny individuals the consequences of their actions.
What does the name retribution mean?
retribution. ( ˌrɛtrɪˈbjuːʃən) n. 1. the act of punishing or taking vengeance for wrongdoing, sin, or injury. 2. punishment or vengeance. [C14: via Old French from Church Latin retribūtiō, from Latin retribuere to repay, from re- + tribuere to pay; see tribute] retributive, reˈtributory adj. reˈtributively adv.
What is the root word for retribution?
The root word of retribution is ”tribution:” in Latin this means ”I pay back” and has a similar meaning to paying a debt that is owed. When retributive justice is applied, a type of retribution, a criminal in essence pays his or her debt to society and suffers some type of punishment in return.
What is the purpose of retribution?
Retribution. Quite contrary to the idea of rehabilitation and distinct from the utilitarian purposes of restraint and deterrence, the purpose of retribution is actively to injure criminal offenders, ideally in proportion with their injuries to society, and so expiate them of guilt.
What are some examples of retribution?
Retribution is defined as something done to get back at someone or the act of punishing someone for their actions. An example of retribution is when someone gets the death penalty for committing murder.