Avenge vs. Revenge – How to Use Each Correctly
What’s the Difference Between Avenge and Revenge?
Contents
These two words are similar in pronunciation and meaning. The even share the same roots.
Avenge is a verb that means to take vengeance for something in an attempt to achieve justice.
- The boy sought to avenge his father’s death by killing his father’s murderer.
Revenge can act as either a noun or a verb that also means to take vengeance. However, this word’s connotation is less about justice and more about punishing someone due to resentment.
- The girl was embarrassed that her friend made fun of her, so she got revenge by cutting off her friend’s ponytail.
By understanding them each in context you can better understand the nuances of each one. Now, let’s go over a few ways you can use these words in your sentences.
Using Avenge in a Sentence
When to use avenge: Avenge can only act as a verb. It comes from the Latin word for vindicate and entered English in the 1300’s. Like revenge, it means to get vengeance. However, unlike revenge, it has the connotation of getting vengeance in order to right a wrong. It isn’t done for personal gain but rather for justice.
For example:
- The protesters wanted to avenge the wrongful death of the man who died in police custody due to neglect by bringing the police to justice.
- The usurper vowed to avenge the misdeeds of the previous King by enacting just laws and righting all of his wrongs.
Avenge can use a reflexive pronoun to show that a person is setting something right that was done against himself or herself.
- I will avenge myself of the lies you told about me by proving them wrong and putting you in jail for slander!
There is also an idiom that uses the progressive form.
- Avenging angel: An angel who carries out God’s judgment, or a hero who seeks vengeance and justice for victims.
Avenge is a transitive verb so it must have an object.
Using Revenge in a Sentence
When to use revenge: Revenge can be either a noun or a verb. It means to punish someone in retaliation for wronging someone. Importantly, the use of revenge also implies that this punishment is performed out of anger and spite rather than in order to achieve justice.
For example,
- My boss always yells at me so I hide her pencils as an act of petty revenge.
- Billy bullied my little sister so I beat him up in revenge.
There are a couple idioms that use revenge:
- revenge is a dish best served cold: it is better to wait to exact revenge on someone until the time is right, rather than doing it right away
- I’m glad I didn’t take revenge immediately after my boyfriend cheated on me. It was so much better to wait until the day before he married his fiance. Now they’ve broken up and he’ll be sad forever. Revenge is a dish best served cold.
- revenge is sweet: it is satisfying to have revenge
- It took years, but I finally stole back all the money the thief stole from me so long ago, and then some. Revenge is sweet!
Revenge is more common as a noun than as a verb.
Remembering Avenge vs. Revenge
One way to remember the difference between these two words is to use the spelling. Revenge starts with the two letters re, just like the word resentment. This can help you remember that although revenge and avenge are similar, revenge means to seek vengeance due to feelings of resentment and bitterness.
Another useful way, if you like superhero movies, is to think of the avengers. This is a group of heroes that fight evil villains in the pursuit of justice. This can help you remember that avenge means to seek vengeance due to wanting to do the right thing.
Outside Examples
- President Abdel Fattah Sisi vowed to respond with “extreme force” and “avenge our martyrs.” –LA Times
- It doesn’t matter that UCLA will have a chance to avenge an overtime loss to Texas A&M when the teams meet again Sunday at 4:30 p.m, at the Rose Bowl. After a long, nine-month offseason, the senior linebacker is just ready to play. And to win. –OC Register
- Facebook Australia’s plan to fight revenge porn seems a bit counterintuitive. –New York Daily News
- Oregon understandably wants a little revenge for last year’s loss, while Oregon State just needs a conference win. –USA Today
Quiz: Avenge vs. Revenge
Instructions: Fill in the blank with the correct word, either avenge or revenge.
- I hate Becca because she laughed at me when I fell down. I’ll get _________ by pushing her down the stairs.
- The police detective vowed she would never stop until she _________________ the victim by arresting the killer.
- The two families have been involved in a feud for many generations. They keep fighting each other out of _______________ rather than any sense of justice.
See answers below.
Article Summary
Should I use avenge or revenge? Although these words have the same basic definition, they have different connotations which you must be aware of when using them.
- Avenge means to exact vengeance to do the right thing and get justice.
- Revenge refers to exact vengeance out of resentment.
Don’t let the similarities confuse you when choosing which word to use.
Answers from Quiz
- revenge
- avenged
- revenge