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

• reprisal
• requital
• retaliation
• retribution
• revenge
• vengeance

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

News coverage reflected a growing — though hardly universal — sentiment that this trial could be payback for the criminal acquittal. —David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024

Should the pirate king hide out in the Caribbean or head to England for payback? —Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1718, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing payback

• payback time