compensate

1 of 2

verb

com·​pen·​sate ˈkäm-pən-ˌsāt 

-ˌpen-

compensated; compensating

transitive verb

1

: to be equivalent to : counterbalance

Her virtues compensate her faults.

2

: to make an appropriate and usually counterbalancing payment to

compensate the victims for their loss

3

a

: to provide with means of counteracting variation

compensate a magnetic needle

b

: to neutralize the effect of (variations)

intransitive verb

1

: to supply an equivalent

—used with for

… compensate for his feelings of loneliness by assertions of superiority.

—W. H. Auden

2

: to offset an error, defect, or undesired effect

I hope my enthusiasm compensates for my lack of skill.

3

: to undergo or engage in psychological or physiological compensation

Their aggression was an attempt to compensate for inherent passivity.

compensative

ˈkäm-pən-ˌsā-tiv 

-ˌpen-;

  kəm-ˈpen(t)-sə- 

adjective

compensator

ˈkäm-pən-ˌsā-tər 

-ˌpen-

noun

compensatory

kəm-ˈpen(t)-sə-ˌtȯr-ē 

adjective

compensator

2 of 2

noun

com·​pen·​sa·​tor ˈkäm-pən-ˌsā-tər 

-ˌpen-

plural -s

: one that compensates: such as

a

: autotransformer

b

: balancer set sense 1

c

: compass corrector

d

: a combination of quartz plates of wedge shape used to measure the phase difference between the two rectangular vibration components of elliptically polarized light

e

: a photographic device (as a star diaphragm or suitably graded neutral-density filter) for holding back the light in the middle of the field of a wide-angle lens to allow proper exposure at the corners

f

: a portion of a direction finder that automatically applies a correction to the direction indication and that commonly consists of a mechanical arrangement of cams

g

: a device fitted to the muzzle of a firearm that reduces recoil by directing part of the powder gases through a series of lateral vents compare muzzle brake

h

: an electrical equalizer designed to compensate for the recording characteristic of a record and usually connected between a pickup and an amplifier

Synonyms of compensate

Verb

• reimburse
• satisfy
• pay

Choose the Right Synonym for compensate

pay, compensate, remunerate, satisfy, reimburse, indemnify, repay, recompense mean to give money or its equivalent in return for something.

pay implies the discharge of an obligation incurred.

paid their bills

compensate implies a making up for services rendered.

an attorney well compensated for her services

remunerate clearly suggests paying for services rendered and may extend to payment that is generous or not contracted for.

promised to remunerate the searchers handsomely

satisfy implies paying a person what is required by law.

all creditors will be satisfied in full

reimburse implies a return of money that has been spent for another's benefit.

reimbursed employees for expenses

indemnify implies making good a loss suffered through accident, disaster, warfare.

indemnified the families of the dead miners

repay stresses paying back an equivalent in kind or amount.

repay a favor with a favor

recompense suggests due return in amends, friendly repayment, or reward.

passengers were recompensed for the delay

Examples of compensate in a Sentence

Verb

His enthusiasm compensates for his lack of skill.

The price of the item has been reduced to compensate for a defect.

compensate workers for their labor

She was not compensated for the damage done to her car.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Many of those people should be compensated. —NBC news, 7 June 2026

Players like Modric demonstrate that football intelligence often can compensate for a decline in physical speed. —Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026

But both sides failed to reach an agreement on how much Kapoor must compensate them. —Jay Weaver june 6, Miami Herald, 6 June 2026

Who should be compensated, and by how much? —Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

borrowed from Latin compensātus, past participle of compensāre "to balance, make good, counterbalance, make up for," from com- com- + pensāre "to weigh, weigh out, treat as a setoff (against a debt), exchange, counterbalance," iterative of pendere "to weigh, have a weight of, pay (out), estimate, consider" — more at pendent

Noun

compensate + -or

First Known Use

Verb

1646, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for compensate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids Definition

compensate

verb

com·​pen·​sate ˈkäm-pən-ˌsāt 

compensated; compensating

1

: to be equal to in value or effect : counterbalance

2

: to make up for

effort that compensates for lack of skill

3

: to make equal return to : pay

compensate workers for their labor

compensatory

kəm-ˈpen(t)-sə-ˌtōr-ē 

-ˌtȯr-

adjective

Medical Definition

compensate

verb

com·​pen·​sate ˈkäm-pən-ˌsāt, -ˌpen- 

compensated; compensating

transitive verb

: to subject to or remedy by physiological compensation

compensated hypertensive patients

intransitive verb

: to undergo, experience, or engage in psychological or physiological compensation

his aggression was an attempt to compensate for inherent passivity

Legal Definition

compensate

transitive verb

com·​pen·​sate ˈkäm-pən-ˌsāt, -ˌpen- 

compensated; compensating

: to make an appropriate and usually counterbalancing payment to

compensate the victims for their injuries

adequately compensated for her work

compensatory

kəm-ˈpen-sə-ˌtōr-ē 

adjective