How to pronounce retaliate
Say it like rih-TAL-ee-ayt. Retaliate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce retaliate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- rih
- TAL
- ee
- ayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Retaliate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- rihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- TALSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- aytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of retaliate
American and British speakers say retaliate in essentially the same way: /rɪˈtæliˌeɪt/ in the US and /rɪˈtæliˌeɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: rih-TAL-ee-ayt.
What does retaliate mean?
- To do something harmful or negative to get revenge for some harm; to fight back or respond in kind to an injury or affront.“John insulted Peter to retaliate for Peter's acid remark earlier.”
- To repay or requite by an act of the same kind.
Where does retaliate come from?
From Latin retāliātus, past participle of retāliō (“to requite, retaliate”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying retaliate
How do you pronounce retaliate?
Say rih-TAL-ee-ayt. The American pronunciation is /rɪˈtæliˌeɪt/. In British English it is /rɪˈtæliˌeɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in retaliate?
Retaliate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAL). Broken into parts: rih · TAL · ee · ayt.
Do Americans and Brits say retaliate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /rɪˈtæliˌeɪt/ and the British form is /rɪˈtæliˌeɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.