payback

noun

pay·​back ˈpā-ˌbak 

1

: requital

2

: a return on an investment equal to the original capital outlay

also : the period of time elapsed before an investment is recouped

Synonyms

• revenge
• retaliation
• retribution

Examples of payback in a Sentence

They beat our team last year, so we've got to beat them this year as payback.

we are hoping to get payback for the humiliating defeat we suffered at the hands of our rivals during our last matchup

Recent Examples on the Web

Many of Colorado’s stars from that team are off to the NFL, but that shouldn’t impact TCU’s desire for payback. —Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2025

Could Juno be behind this treachery, as payback for David destroying her spy corporation and for changing his oldest daughter into a killer? —Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2025

As a result, fixing those issues shrinks your solar needs and speeds up your payback. —Dianne Plummer, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025

In this world, there’s nothing quite as fierce as a scorned ex or an old rival looking for payback. —Okla Jones, Essence, 21 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1718, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing payback

• payback time

Rhymes for payback

• aback
• anzac
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback