retribution
Justice served cold
Retribution is punishment inflicted as payback for wrongdoing.
Where revenge is personal and justice is systemic, retribution sits between them—punishment that feels deserved, often with a sense of cosmic balance being restored.
The scandal was divine retribution for years of corruption.
The adjective retributive describes punishment focused on payback rather than rehabilitation or deterrence.
Punishing a wrongdoer
- paybackRetaliation for wrongs
- retaliationPunitive response to injury
- reprisalPunitive action in return
- comeuppanceDeserved punishment or rebuke
avenging · vendetta · blood feud · eye for an eye · nemesis · wrath · counterstrike · tit-for-tat
Punishment for wrongdoing
- sanctionApproval or punitive measure
- chastisementFormal scolding or correction
- castigationSevere verbal criticism
- disciplineTrained self-control or specialty
correction · sentence · judgment · incarceration · detention · scourge · flogging · damnation
Obligation for one's actions
- fairnessJust and equal treatment
- righteousnessMoral correctness or virtue
- due processGuaranteed judicial fairness
- adjudicationFormal decision on disputes
verdict · tribunal · redress · rectitude · jurisprudence · moral order · desert
Results following an event
- repercussionsIndirect results of actions
- ramificationsResulting effects or outcomes
- falloutPost-blast atmospheric particles
- backlashStrong negative reaction
blowback · chickens coming home · what goes around · boomerang effect · chain reaction · ripple effect
revenge
Punishing a wrongdoer
- paybackRetaliation for wrongs
- retaliationPunitive response to injury
- reprisalPunitive action in return
comeuppance · avenging · vendetta · blood feud · eye for an eye · nemesis · wrath · counterstrike · tit-for-tat · grudge
penalty
Punishment for wrongdoing
- sanctionApproval or punitive measure
- chastisementFormal scolding or correction
- castigationSevere verbal criticism
discipline · correction · sentence · judgment · incarceration · detention · scourge · flogging · damnation · hellfire
accountability
Obligation for one's actions
- fairnessJust and equal treatment
- righteousnessMoral correctness or virtue
- due processGuaranteed judicial fairness
adjudication · verdict · tribunal · redress · rectitude · jurisprudence · moral order · desert
aftermath
Results following an event
- repercussionsIndirect results of actions
- ramificationsResulting effects or outcomes
- falloutPost-blast atmospheric particles
backlash · blowback · chickens coming home · what goes around · boomerang effect · chain reaction · ripple effect
- Revenge TragedyHamlet, revenge plot, avenger, blood revenge, Electra
- justicecourtroom, trials, courts, gavel, blind justice
- vengeancerevenge, vengeance, vendetta, retaliation, payback
- criminal lawcrime, felony, misdemeanor, murder, robbery
- penologypenology, prisons, incarceration, parole board, prison
- Biblical WisdomEcclesiastes, Job, wisdom of Solomon, King Solomon, Solomon
retributionforgiveness
Releasing resentment toward offenders
pardon · mercy · clemency · absolution · grace
retributionreward
Payment for service
blessing · beneficence · recompense · gratitude · benevolence
retributionreward
Payment for service
recompense · compensation · prize · bounty · accolade
- divine retributionPunishment delivered by deity
- karmic retributionFate repaying past deeds
- retributive justicePunishment proportional to offense