give as good as one gets

verb

To behave toward others in a manner resembling or commensurate with their behavior towards oneself, especially in a situation where one is insulted or otherwise ill-treated.

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Meanings

verbgive as good as one gets (third-person singular simple present gives as good as one gets, present participle giving as good as one gets, simple past gave as good as one got, past participle given as good as one got)

present singular third person gives as good as one gets · participle present giving as good as one gets · past gave as good as one got · participle past given as good as one got

  1. idiomaticTo behave toward others in a manner resembling or commensurate with their behavior towards oneself, especially in a situation where one is insulted or otherwise ill-treated.

    On balance, it was harsh on Hearts, who had given as good as they got against their more-fancied opponents, who, despite not being at full strength, fielded a multi-million pound team.

    2012 August 23, Alasdair Lamont, “Hearts 0-1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport
    1 more example

    The Foreign Correspondents Association's annual banquet last week turned into an angry slanging match. Botha gave as good as he got. "I am sick and tired of a lot of foreign representatives descending on my country and picking up on all the dirty work instead of all the beauty, promise and goodwill," Botha said.

    1988 November 21, “World Notes SOUTH AFRICA”, in Time

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
reciprocate

Translations

Finnish maksaa samalla mitalla, iskeä takaisin
  • maksaa samalla mitallaTranslations
  • iskeä takaisinTranslations
French rendre coup pour coup, avoir du répondant
  • rendre coup pour coupTranslations
  • avoir du répondantTranslations
  • avoir de la repartieTranslations
Polish odpłacać pięknym za nadobne, odpłacić pięknym za nadobne
  • odpłacać pięknym za nadobneTranslations
  • odpłacić pięknym za nadobneTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

give as good as one gets. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20as%20good%20as%20one%20gets

MLA

“give as good as one gets.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20as%20good%20as%20one%20gets. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “give as good as one gets,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20as%20good%20as%20one%20gets.

Source: give as good as one gets on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.