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retributive
adjective
re·trib·u·tive
ri-ˈtri-byə-tiv
: of, relating to, or marked by retribution
retributively
adverb
Examples of retributive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There will be no retributive actions taken by any FBI should I be confirmed as FBI director.
—
Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2025
To be sure, some retributive violence has clearly taken place, and thousands of Syrians fearful of militant control have fled to Lebanon.
—
Sam Heller, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2024
By then, President Franklin Pierce and his secretary of war, Jefferson Davis, had already endorsed a retributive expedition of their own against the Lakota.
—
Tim Madigan, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
The twist of the knife that unleashes Sienna's retributive fury is a revelation that the gruesome pair killed, beheaded, and seemingly stripped the flesh from Jonathan's skull.
Want more movie news?
—
EW.com, 17 Oct. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1619, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near retributive
Cite this Entry
“Retributive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retributive. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
retributive
adjective
re·trib·u·tive
ri-ˈtrib-yət-iv
: of, relating to, or marked by retribution
retributive justice
retributively
adverb
Legal Definition
retributive
adjective
re·trib·u·tive
ri-ˈtri-byə-tiv
: of, relating to, or marked by retribution
retributive justice
retributively
adverb
More from Merriam-Webster on retributive
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for retributive
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