Avenge
/əˈvɛndʒ/
verbB2
Definition
Avenge means to do something to get back at someone who hurt you or someone you care about. It often involves making sure the person who caused harm faces a consequence. It is about seeking justice or fairness after a bad action.
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⚡ See It in Action
To take action to punish someone who caused harm or injury
- •He wanted to avenge his brother’s unfair treatment.
- •The knight vowed to avenge the fallen king.
- •She avenged the wrongs done to her family by standing up to the enemy.
To seek justice for a wrong or injury
- •The community came together to avenge the injustice.
- •They worked to avenge the victims of the crime.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "avenge" like "get back," but with a serious goal of making things right, not just simple revenge.
- ✓Picture a story where a hero fights to help a friend who was hurt by a bad person.
- ✓It's the feeling when you want to fix something unfair that happened to you or your family.
- ✓Sounds like "a-venge" → imagine a "vengeful" wind that blows back strongly to clear away bad things.
- ✓In stories and movies, heroes often avenge their loved ones by stopping the bad guys.
- ✓NOT like "revenge" (which can be angry and personal), "avenge" is more about justice or fairness.
- ✓NOT like "forgive" (which means to let go), "avenge" means to respond or act after harm.
- ✓NOT like "punish" (which is the action itself), "avenge" is the reason or goal to punish someone for a wrong.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Revenge: to do something bad to someone because they hurt you (Use when the feeling is more personal and angry)
- •Retaliate: to act back after being hurt or attacked (Use when focusing on quick or equal response)
- •Punish: to make someone suffer for doing wrong (Use when focusing on the action, not the reason)
- •Redress: to correct or fix a wrong (Use in formal or legal contexts)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: prefix "a-" (to, toward) + root "venge" (from Latin "vindicare," meaning to claim, punish, or protect)
- •Etymology: Comes from Old French "avengier," from Latin roots meaning to claim or punish for wrong
- •Historical development: Used since Middle Ages to mean taking action for wrongs or injuries
- •Modern usage: Often used in stories, news, or serious talks about justice and punishment after harm
💭 Reflect & Connect
•When is it right or wrong to avenge someone? Can avenging cause more problems?
•How do different cultures or stories show the idea of avenging? Is it always about fighting back?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.He wanted to avenge his friend because ___ had been hurt unfairly.
2.To avenge a crime, people often seek ___ or punishment for the wrongdoer.
3.Avenge is different from forgive because it means to ___, not to forget or accept.
4.In many stories, heroes avenge their loved ones by ___ the bad people.
5.People who avenge usually feel a strong ___ to fix what was done wrong.
6.Avenge often comes after a serious ___ or injury, not a small mistake.
7.To avenge someone, you might ___ actions against the person who caused harm.