get back — retaliate
phrasal verbC1IELTS 7+informaloccasional
To do something to someone because they have done something harmful to you; to take revenge.
Say it like a native
Textbook She wished to take revenge on him for the betrayal.
Native She wanted to get back at him for it.
'Get back at someone' is the natural phrase for revenge; 'take revenge on' is dramatic and formal.
Pattern: get back at someone (for something)
In use
- She finally got back at her colleague for spreading those rumours.relationships
- While some people believe in turning the other cheek, others feel compelled to get back at those who have wronged them, which can perpetuate cycles of conflict.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ He wanted to get back to her for cheating.
✓ He wanted to get back at her for cheating.
For revenge it's 'get back AT someone' — 'get back to' means reply/return.
Common collocations
get back at + person— at him, at her, for it, somehow
Don't confuse it
Unlike the B1/B2 senses, which are about returning to a place or recovering something, this sense is figurative and means to seek revenge or respond to a wrong.
Related
- get back (return) — 'get back' also has the more basic meaning 'return'; this is the advanced sense.