vindictive

  • 1vindictive — vindictive, revengeful, vengeful are close synonyms often used interchangeably to mean showing or motivated by a desire for vengeance. Distinctively vindictive tends to stress this reaction as inherent in the nature of the individual and,… …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 2vindictive — [vin dik′tiv] adj. [< L vindicta, revenge, vindication < vindicatus (see VINDICATE) + IVE] 1. revengeful in spirit; inclined to seek vengeance 2. said or done in revenge; characterized by vengeance [vindictive punishment] vindictively adv.… …

    English World dictionary

  • 3Vindictive — Vin*dic tive, a. [For vindicative, confused with L. vindicta revenge, punishment, fr. vindicare to vindicate. Cf. {Vindicative}.] 1. Disposed to revenge; prompted or characterized by revenge; revengeful. [1913 Webster] I am vindictive enough to… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 4vindictive — I adjective angry, avenging, grudgeful, implacable, inclined to vengeance, malevolent, malicious, malignant, punitive, punitory, rancorous, resentful, retaliative, retaliatory, retributive, revengeful, spiteful, ulciscendi cupidus, unforgiving,… …

    Law dictionary

  • 5vindictive — 1610s, from L. vindicta revenge (see VINDICATION (Cf. vindication)). Related: Vindictively …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 6vindictive — [adj] hateful, revengeful avenging, cruel, grim, grudging, implacable, malicious, malignant, merciless, rancorous, relentless, resentful, retaliatory, ruthless, spiteful, unforgiving, unrelenting, vengeful, venomous, wreakful; concepts 401,542… …

    New thesaurus

  • 7vindictive — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ having or showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge. DERIVATIVES vindictively adverb vindictiveness noun. ORIGIN from Latin vindicta vengeance …

    English terms dictionary

  • 8vindictive — adjective in her memoirs she revealed that Drake had been a vindictive ex lover Syn: vengeful, revengeful, unforgiving, resentful, acrimonious, bitter; spiteful, mean, rancorous, venomous, malicious, malevolent, nasty, mean spirited, cruel,… …

    Thesaurus of popular words

  • 9vindictive — adj. vindictive of (that was vindictive of him) * * * [vɪn dɪktɪv] vindictive of (that was vindictive of him) …

    Combinatory dictionary

  • 10vindictive — vin|dic|tive [ vın dıktıv ] adjective someone who is vindictive is cruel to anyone who hurts them and will not forgive them: vindictive toward: Divorced couples often become quite vindictive toward each other. a. used about people s behavior: a… …

    Usage of the words and phrases in modern English