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Meaning & use

personal vendetta

noun·Advanceddisapproving

Last updated

UK/ˌpɜːsənl venˈdetə/
US/ˌpɜːrsənl venˈdeṭə/
Usage warning: this word is disapproving. It shows a negative opinion, so take care with who and what you use it about.

Meaning

  1. nouncountabledisapproving

    A long, bitter campaign against a particular person, driven by private anger or grudge instead of fair reasons.

    Grammar: Countable and usually with a: she has a personal vendetta against him.

    Patterns

    • have a personal vendetta against someone
    • a personal vendetta against someone

    The columnist seemed to have a personal vendetta against the mayor.

    I am not on a personal vendetta; I just want the rules followed.

    Their personal vendetta started over a fence and lasted twenty years.

Word forms

pluralpersonal vendettas

Common combinations

have a personal vendetta
He has a personal vendetta against the referee.
pursue a personal vendetta
The boss pursued a personal vendetta against his rival.
personal vendetta against
It felt like a personal vendetta against our family.
accuse of a personal vendetta
They accused the officer of a personal vendetta.
drop a personal vendetta
It's time to drop this personal vendetta.

Synonyms and how they differ

grudge
A grudge is a feeling of resentment, while a personal vendetta is an active campaign driven by it.
feud
A feud involves two sides fighting each other, but a vendetta can be one person against another.
vengeance
Vengeance means revenge itself, whereas a personal vendetta stresses a long campaign.
witch hunt
A witch hunt is a campaign against a group or person with unfair accusations, and may not be personal.

Opposites

forgivenessreconciliation

Word family

vendetta noun
a long, bitter quarrel or campaign of revenge
vendettas noun
plural of vendetta
personal adjective
relating to one individual
personally adverb
in your own way or directly to you

Commonly confused: personal vendetta or vendor? personal vendetta or personnel?

personal vendetta vs vendor

A vendor sells goods, whereas a vendetta is a long quarrel or revenge campaign.

personal vendetta vs personnel

Personnel means the staff of an organization, not an individual's private feeling.

Practice

The critic's harsh reviews of the actress looked like a ___ against her, not honest criticism.

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