retribute means to pay back; to give in return, as payment, reward, or punishment; to requite. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 88 out of 100.
retribute is pronounced /ˈɹɛtɹɪbjuːt/.
Why “retribute” is a great word
RETRIBUTE — [Verb] To pay back, give in return, or require, as payment, reward, or punishment. From the Latin *retributus*, past participle of *retribuere*, from *re-* ("back, again") + *tribuere* ("to assign, bestow, pay"). Unlike "reciprocate," which implies a mutual exchange of good for good, or "avenge," which narrows the focus to punitive harm, "retribute" maintains a solemn, judicial neutrality. It is the coin placed on the eyes of the dead, the medal pinned to a silent chest, and the precise calibration of a sentence handed down from the bench—the universe's silent, mechanical insistence that every action meets its answer.
Etymology
Latin retributus, past participle of retribuo (“to retribute”); prefix re- + tribuo (“to bestow, assign, pay”). See tribute.
verb
- To pay back; to give in return, as payment, reward, or punishment; to requite.“to retribute someone for their kindness”