get back at
B1 informal inseparable transitive
In simple words
To do something bad to someone because they did something bad to you first.
Meanings
1 B1
idiomatic
informal
To do something to hurt or punish someone who has hurt or wronged you.
"She was furious and wanted to get back at him for telling everyone her secret."
Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes
Always followed by a person as its object. Implies an intentional, deliberate act of revenge. Used in casual conversation; in formal writing, 'retaliate against' is preferred.
Commonly used with
someone him her them ex bully
Forms
Base
get back at
I/you/we/they
3rd person
gets back at
he/she/it
Past simple
got back at
yesterday
Past participle
got/gotten back at
have + pp
-ing form
getting back at
continuous
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Synonyms
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