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GRE vocabulary

vindictive

adjectiveHigh-frequency wordMore V words

inclined to seek revenge; spiteful

Word origin: From Latin vindicta, vengeance.

In a sentence

Vindictive in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing vindictive in a sentence.

His vindictive nature led him to retaliate against every slight.

His vindictive review seemed designed less to assess the book than to punish its author.

Synonyms
vengefulspitefulrancorousmalicious
Antonyms
forgivingmerciful
Usage & nuance

Using “vindictive” well

Vindictive means inclined to seek revenge, spiteful in disposition. It is the opposite of forgiving or merciful. Distinguish it from vindicate, which means to clear of blame.

Common questions

Questions about “vindictive

Vindictive (adjective) means inclined to seek revenge; spiteful
Here is vindictive used in an example sentence: "His vindictive nature led him to retaliate against every slight." Another example: "His vindictive review seemed designed less to assess the book than to punish its author."
Common synonyms for vindictive include vengeful, spiteful, rancorous, malicious.
Antonyms of vindictive include forgiving, merciful.
Clusters with vengeful, spiteful, and rancorous in Sentence Equivalence. Its antonyms forgiving and merciful mark the reversed sense, and vindicate is a classic look-alike.
Yes. Vindictive is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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