/ɹiˈvɛndʒ/
Say it backRevenge refers to the act of harming someone in return for a perceived wrong. It often implies a calculated, retaliatory motive and a desire to restore balance or personal justice. The term can carry a moral weight, sometimes highlighting cycles of retaliation rather than resolution, and is commonly used in both legal and literary contexts as a motive or theme.
"She swore revenge after her colleague betrayed her, plotting to outmaneuver him at the company."
"In the old tale, the hero’s revenge leads to unintended consequences for the whole kingdom."
"Public figures often face lawsuits not to seek revenge but to uphold justice and accountability."
Pronounce as rɪ-ven(d)ʒ, with the emphasis on the second syllable: re-VE(N)GE. Start with a quick, light short 'ri' sound, follow with a stressed 'ven' where the vowel is near the schwa but more closed, and finish with the 'ge' as a soft j sound like 'j' in 'jury', not a hard 'g'. IPA guide: US rɪˈvɛn(d)ʒ; UK rɪˈven(d)ʒ; AU rɪˈven(d)ʒ. You can listen to examples on pronunciation platforms to hear the subtle final sonorant.
Common errors include misplacing stress (re-VE-nge instead of re-venge), mispronouncing the final 'ge' as a hard 'g' (voicing as /ɡ/ rather than the affricate /dʒ/), and lowering the vowel in the first syllable to a full 'reh' rather than the quick /ɪ/ or schwa-like sound. Correct by maintaining a light, unstressed first syllable and ensuring the final /dʒ/ is audible without overpronouncing the consonants.
In US and UK you share the /ɪ/ in the first syllable and the /dʒ/ final; the main difference is vowel quality in the second syllable: US tends toward /ˈɪŋ/ vs UK’s slightly tenser /ˈɛn(d)ʒ/. The rhoticity doesn’t affect this word much because the final sound is a non-rhotic /dʒ/; AU tends to align with UK but with more relaxed vowel height. Overall: rɪˈvɛn(d)ʒ across the board with minor vowel shifts.
The difficulty lies in the final affricate /dʒ/ after a mid vowel, especially when the preceding vowel in /ɪ/ or /ɛn/ is short and unstressed. Many learners over-elongate the final syllable or confuse it with /ʒ/ as in 'measure'. The cluster /vɛn(d)ʒ/ requires precise tongue tip contact with the alveolar ridge for the /n/ and a quick, smooth transition into the /dʒ/ sound. Mastery comes from practicing the /dʒ/ onset cleanly.
Revenge has a straightforward pronunciation without silent letters. The stress is syllable-timed on the second syllable: re-VE-nge, with the /ɪ/ in the first syllable reduced and the /ɛn/ in the stressed syllable carrying the nucleus. The final /dʒ/ is pronounced as a clear, voiced affricate. There’s no silent letter, and the doubling effect seen in some English words doesn’t apply here.
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The word revenge comes from the Old French revenche, derived from the Latin verb vindicāre meaning to punish, avenge, or exact retribution. By the 13th century, revenche (later revenge in Middle English) appeared in English texts to describe retaliation for injury or insult. The core sense has long involved personal vengeance as a response to wrongs, with moral and social implications. Over time, the word broadened to include legal or formal redress in some contexts, though it retains its primary association with personal retaliation and retribution. The spelling and pronunciation stabilized in Early Modern English, preserving the stress on the second syllable: re-venge. First known uses appear in medieval English literature and law codes, often linked to feuds and codes of honor where revenge was both a personal obligation and a social concern.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "revenge" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "revenge" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "revenge"
-nce sounds
-nse sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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