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."
inseparable
get back at
B1 informal inseparable transitive
To take revenge on someone who has harmed or wronged you.
In plain English
To do something bad to someone because they did something bad to you first.
What does "get back at" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Usage tip
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.
Words that pair with "get back at"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
someone him her them ex bully
How to conjugate "get back at"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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
Hear "get back at" in the wild
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Other ways to say "get back at"
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