repay

verb

re·​pay (ˌ)rē-ˈpā 

repaid (ˌ)rē-ˈpād  ; repaying

transitive verb

1

a

: to pay back

repay a loan

b

: to give or inflict in return or requital

repay evil for evil

2

: to make a return payment to : compensate, requite

3

: to make requital for : recompense

the success that repays hard work

intransitive verb

: to make return payment or requital

repayable

(ˌ)rē-ˈpā-ə-bəl 

adjective

repayment

(ˌ)rē-ˈpā-mənt 

noun

Synonyms

• refund
• reimburse

Choose the Right Synonym for repay

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 repay in a Sentence

You can repay the mortgage over 30 years.

She would rather have to repay the bank than borrow from her parents and have to repay them.

How can I ever repay your kindness?

How can I ever repay you for your kindness?

Recent Examples on the Web

During that process, advocates pushed for a fifth category of forgiveness for people who have different kinds of hardship that prevent them from being able to repay their loans. —Collin Binkley, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2024

Bonds allow the state to borrow from investors and repay them with interest during a 10- to 30-year period. —Lindsey Holden, Sacramento Bee, 15 Apr. 2024

The loan amount will vary per applicant, depending on their need and ability to repay. —Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024

While around 49% of Latinos qualified for and received federal Pell Grants — which do not have to be repaid — only a quarter of Latino students took out federal student loans. —Emi Tuyetnhi Tran, NBC News, 9 Apr. 2024

Fifty-five percent of respondents in a Feb. 8-11 YouGov poll said that student loan debt was somewhat or very important to them, but a plurality, 44 percent, thought borrowers should have to repay them while only 40 percent said the government should forgive them. —Monica Potts, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2024

Partial or full debt cancellation for borrowers experiencing hardship in repaying their loans. —Jon Healey, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2024

People who took out federal student loans for undergraduate degrees and began repaying them more than 20 years ago would automatically have the debt canceled under the new plan. —Journal Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2024

The plan is focused on helping those with the greatest need for relief, including many who might otherwise never repay their loans. —Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 7 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

repay

verb

re·​pay (ˈ)rē-ˈpā 

repaid -ˈpād  ; repaying

1

: to pay back

repay a loan

2

: to make a return payment to

repay a creditor

repayable

-ˈpā-ə-bəl 

adjective

repayment

-ˈpā-mənt 

noun