Reprisal – retaliation; act of revenge; action taken in response to perceived attack or crime

PRONUNCIATION

(Pronounced ri-prize-uhl)

To remember the definition of the word reprisal, use the following mnemonic:

He ripped the prize bull (reprisal) open to reveal a ticking bomb - it was an act of retaliation by people who thought he'd cheated in the competition.

Examples of reprisal in a sentence

The government drew up a list of proposed reprisals in response to the trade tariffs proposed by its former partner nations. 

She said she's slashed his expensive suits as a reprisal for the way he had treated her. 

The hospital trust's management board said whistleblowers should be able to speak out without fear of reprisal.