strike back

phrasal verb

struck back; struck back also stricken back; striking back; strikes back
: to try to hurt someone who has hurt one or treated one badly
When he called her lazy, she immediately struck back by calling him fat.
often + at
He angrily struck back at his critics.

Examples of strike back in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Israel ultimately struck back at Iran by hitting military sites and missile production facilities. Brad Dress, The Hill, 20 Dec. 2024 Didn’t this mean Israel would strike back at the launch site, awfully close to us? Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2024 Logan Paul’s boxing brother Jake Paul struck back Tuesday with a statement that makes no mention of the Ambani family. Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 17 Dec. 2024 Buchholz strikes back with a 40-yard TD pass from Trace Johnson to Justin Williams. Staff Reports, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for strike back 

Dictionary Entries Near strike back

Cite this Entry

“Strike back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strike%20back. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.

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