tit for tat

The phrase "tit for tat" is often used to describe reciprocal actions, especially in contexts of retaliation or retribution.

🇺🇸 US Voice:

🇬🇧 UK Voice:

Definition

(idiomatic)A situation where one person responds to an action with a similar action, often as a form of retaliation.

After he insulted her, she decided to give him a taste of his own medicine, a classic case of tit for tat.

(technical)A strategy where a player replicates the opponent's previous action, promoting either cooperation or retaliation.

In the prisoner's dilemma, the tit for tat strategy can lead to mutual cooperation.

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "tit for tat":