strike back

phrasal-verb
UK: /ˈstraɪk ˈbæk/
US: /ˈstraɪk ˈbæk/

  1. To retaliate or respond aggressively to an attack or offense.

    1. They will strike back if you hurt them.
    2. After the initial defeat, the army planned to strike back with full force.

  2. To take action against someone who has harmed you; to get revenge.

    1. She decided to strike back at her bullies.
    2. He warned that they would strike back if their demands were not met.

Synonyms

hit back revenge fight back counterattack retaliate
strike back noun

  1. An act of retaliation or counterattack.

    1. The strike back was swift and decisive.
    2. Their strike back showed they would not tolerate being treated unfairly.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "strike back" in English means: To retaliate or respond aggressively to an attack or offense., To take action against someone who has harmed you; to get revenge..

The phonetic transcription of "strike back" is /ˈstraɪk ˈbæk/ in British English and /ˈstraɪk ˈbæk/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "strike back": hit back, revenge, fight back, counterattack, retaliate.

Example usage of "strike back": "They will strike back if you hurt them.". More examples on the page.