Revenge vs. Vengeance: Difference and Comparison
Edited by Muazma Batool — By Muneeza Rehman — Updated on September 11, 2023
Revenge is the act of retaliating for harm done, while vengeance is the punishment inflicted in retaliation for an injury or offense.
Difference Between Revenge and Vengeance
When exploring the concepts of revenge and vengeance, one delves into the realm of retribution and justice. Revenge is a personal and emotional response to being wronged, often driven by the desire to settle scores. It arises from a sense of being hurt or slighted, leading one to take matters into their own hands. Vengeance, in contrast, carries a more general or abstract connotation, often implying a higher or divine justice. It's not always personal but is about meting out punishment or seeking retribution for wrongdoing.
Muazma Batool
Sep 11, 2023
In literature, revenge often paints the picture of a protagonist who has been harmed and seeks to balance the scales on their own terms. Shakespeare's "Hamlet" revolves around the titular character's quest for revenge against his uncle. Vengeance, on the other hand, might not be so personally driven. In many myths, gods exert vengeance upon mortals not for personal slights but to maintain cosmic order or justice.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 11, 2023
While both revenge and vengeance involve retaliation, their motivations can differ. Revenge is often about healing a personal wound or regaining lost honor, driven by the individual's emotions and sense of justice. Vengeance, conversely, can be carried out by a third party or an institution, representing a broader or collective sense of justice, sometimes even detached from emotion.
Muazma Batool
Sep 11, 2023
In colloquial use, the terms are frequently used interchangeably, but the nuances remain. A person might seek revenge after being betrayed by a friend, driven by personal hurt and the need to rectify a wrong. Vengeance, though, could be the response of a community or group to an injustice, even if the individuals weren't directly affected.
Levi
Sep 11, 2023
Revenge vs. Vengeance Comparison Chart
Motivation
Healing a personal wound or regaining lost honor
Representing a broader or divine justice
Leo
Sep 11, 2023
Revenge vs. Vengeance Definitions
◉Revenge
An emotional response to being wronged.
Revenge consumed him after the theft.
Muazma Batool
Sep 11, 2023
◉Vengeance
The act of inflicting punishment in return for harm.
The town wanted vengeance for the crime.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 11, 2023
◉Revenge
Personal retribution for harm.
She plotted revenge against her rivals.
Muazma Batool
Sep 11, 2023
◉Vengeance
Divine punishment for an offense.
Some believed the flood was a form of divine vengeance.
Henry
Sep 11, 2023
◉Revenge
A way to regain lost honor.
The knight desired revenge for his family's dishonor.
Nolan
Sep 11, 2023
◉Vengeance
Retribution on behalf of justice.
Vengeance was delivered by the courts.
Muazma Batool
Sep 11, 2023
◉Vengeance
A response to an injustice, not necessarily personal.
The community rallied, demanding vengeance for the deforestation.
Muazma Batool
Sep 11, 2023
◉Vengeance
Infliction of punishment in return for a wrong committed; retribution.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Revenge
(Archaic) To seek or take vengeance for (oneself or another person); avenge.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Revenge
The act of taking vengeance for injuries or wrongs; retaliation
took revenge on her tormentors.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Revenge
A desire for revenge; spite or vindictiveness
He did it out of revenge.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Vengeance
Punishment inflicted in return for an injury or an offense; retribution; - often, in a bad sense, passionate or unrestrained revenge.
To me belongeth vengeance and recompense.
To execute fierce vengeance on his foes.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Revenge
An opportunity to retaliate, as by a return sports match after a defeat
After the loss, he demanded that he be given his revenge.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Revenge
Something done in retaliation, especially a defeat of a rival who has been victorious.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Vengeance
the act of taking revenge (harming someone in retaliation for something harmful that they have done) especially in the next life;
Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord
For vengeance I would do nothing. This nation is too great to look for mere revenge
he swore vengeance on the man who betrayed him
the swiftness of divine retribution
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Revenge
Any form of personal, retaliatory action against an individual, institution, or group for some alleged or perceived harm or injustice.
Indifference is the sweetest revenge.
When I left my wife, she tried to set fire to the house in revenge.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Vengeance
An act of reprisal for an injury.
The king's vengeance was swift and brutal.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 11, 2023
◉Revenge
(transitive) To take revenge for (a particular harmful action) or on behalf of (its victim); to avenge.
Arsenal revenged their loss to Manchester United last time with a 5–0 drubbing this time.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Revenge
To inflict harm in return for, as an injury, insult, etc.; to exact satisfaction for, under a sense of injury; to avenge; - followed either by the wrong received, or by the person or thing wronged, as the object, or by the reciprocal pronoun as direct object, and a preposition before the wrong done or the wrongdoer.
To revenge the death of our fathers.
The gods are just, and will revenge our cause.
Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come,Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Revenge
To inflict injury for, in a spiteful, wrong, or malignant spirit; to wreak vengeance for maliciously.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Revenge
The act of revenging; vengeance; retaliation; a returning of evil for evil.
Certainly, in taking revenge, a man is even with his enemy; but in passing it over he is superior.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Revenge
The disposition to revenge; a malignant wishing of evil to one who has done us an injury.
Revenge now goesTo lay a complot to betray thy foes.
The indulgence of revenge tends to make men more savage and cruel.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Revenge
take revenge for a perceived wrong;
He wants to avenge the murder of his brother
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Revenge
Retaliation for a wrong or injury.
He sought revenge for the betrayal.
Muazma Batool
Sep 11, 2023
Revenge vs. Vengeance Frequently Asked Questions
How does vengeance differ from revenge?
Vengeance is about delivering punishment for a wrongdoing, often representing a broader or divine sense of justice.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 11, 2023
Is vengeance always impersonal?
No, but vengeance can be detached from personal emotions, representing a broader or collective sense of justice.
Nolan
Sep 11, 2023
How are revenge and vengeance similar?
Both involve retaliation for a wrongdoing or injury, aiming to balance the scales of justice.
Nolan
Sep 11, 2023
Can revenge be seen as an emotional act?
Yes, revenge is often rooted in personal emotions, arising from a sense of being hurt or slighted.
Muazma Batool
Sep 11, 2023
Does vengeance imply a moral or divine judgment?
Vengeance can imply a broader, even divine, judgment, especially when it seeks to maintain order or justice.
Jonathan
Sep 11, 2023
What is the core idea behind revenge?
Revenge is a personal act of retaliation driven by an emotional response to being wronged.
Muazma Batool
Sep 11, 2023
How is revenge depicted in literature?
Revenge in literature often revolves around a protagonist who has been personally harmed and seeks to rectify that harm on their terms.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 11, 2023
Could vengeance be executed by institutions?
Yes, vengeance can be carried out by institutions or communities representing a collective sense of justice.
Nolan
Sep 11, 2023
Is seeking revenge always negative?
While revenge can be destructive, some view it as a way to regain lost honor or rectify a personal wrong.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 11, 2023
In everyday speech, are revenge and vengeance used interchangeably?
Yes, in colloquial use, the terms are often used synonymously, though nuances exist.
Leo
Sep 11, 2023
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Written by
Muneeza RehmanAt Comparisons.wiki, Muneeza skillfully navigates the vast sea of information, ensuring clarity and accuracy as the lead content editor. With a keen eye for detail, she curates every comparison to enlighten and engage readers.
Edited by
Muazma BatoolAs a content editor, Muazma Batool is not just a grammar guru but a creative mastermind who breathes life into every word. With an eagle eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, she transforms bland text into engaging content that captivates audiences and drives results.
