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.

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 China Issues Warning to Trump Over Tariffs: 'No One Will Win' By Shannon McDonagh Freelance News Reporter 61 China has struck back at U.S. trade restrictions by banning exports of gallium, germanium, and other high-tech materials essential for advanced manufacturing and military technology. —

Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for strike back