What does vindictive mean?
Vindictive describes a person, action, or disposition marked by a strong desire for revenge. The word commonly conveys more than simple resentment: it suggests that someone is actively seeking to retaliate for a perceived wrong, often with persistence, harshness, or an unwillingness to forgive. A vindictive person may return to an old grievance, pursue punishment beyond what would otherwise be proportionate, or allow a dispute to consume years of their life. The term appears frequently in descriptions of interpersonal conflict, historical figures, fictional characters, and legal disputes. While it is broadly similar to vengeful, spiteful, and rancorous, vindictive often has the additional implication of sustained or calculated retaliation. It is therefore especially useful when an act is not merely resentful but shaped by a determination to make someone else suffer for a perceived injury.
adjectiveDetermined to seek revenge for a wrong suffered, especially with persistent or excessive harshness. Characterized by a desire to retaliate against an offender.
- Disposed to seek revenge for a wrong suffered, often persistently or harshly.
"Despite the passage of time, he remained vindictive and refused to forgive those he believed had betrayed him."
"Her vindictive outburst transformed a minor disagreement into a prolonged feud."
"The novel portrays an ambitious courtier whose ambition gradually becomes vindictive and destructive."
Vindictive and vindicate share a Roman root, yet one pursues revenge while the other seeks to establish the innocent.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does vindictive come from?
Vindictive entered English in the early 17th century from the French vindicatif, based on Latin vindicare. The Latin family included vindex, meaning a defender or avenger, which connects the word's later sense with the idea of retaliating against wrongdoing. The same root also produced vindicate, although that word developed in the context of defending someone's character or clearing them from blame.
Related word forms
How vindictive is actually used
The term usually implies a deliberate and persistent desire for retaliation and can be stronger than vengeful. It is common in formal narrative, historical, and legal writing but is also used in ordinary speech to characterize interpersonal hostility.
Easily confused with vindictive
Vindictive means motivated by revenge, whereas to vindicate means to clear someone of blame or defend their character.