defray

verb

de·​fray di-ˈfrā 

dē-

defrayed; defraying; defrays

transitive verb

1

: to provide for the payment of : pay

sold advertising on his website to help defray the cost of running it

2

archaic : to bear the expenses of (a person)

defrayable

di-ˈfrā-ə-bəl 

dē-

adjective

defrayal

di-ˈfrā(-ə)l 

dē-

noun

Examples of defray in a Sentence

This will defray the costs.

Recent Examples on the Web

As the White House had announced, Amazon was a major corporate contributor in helping to defray those costs. —David Folkenflik, NPR, 28 Oct. 2025

As part of a series of signings that will help defray Amazon’s annual $1.8 billion rights payment to the NBA, the online retailer/streamer has landed AT&T as the title sponsor of its new halftime show (The Half). —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 8 Oct. 2025

Solar can help us defray some cost. —Anita Gosch, Oc Register, 20 Sep. 2025

Whereas opposition parties favored cutting or abolishing it, the ruling coalition of the LDP and Komeito—concerned that such a move would spook financial markets—instead offered one-time cash payments of roughly $140 per person to defray the cost of living. —Mireya Solís, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French deffroyer, from des- de- + frayer to expend, from Old French, from frais, plural of fret, frait expenditure, literally, damage by breaking, from Latin fractum, neuter of fractus, past participle of frangere to break — more at break

First Known Use

1536, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for defray

• airway
• allay
• archway
• array
• ashtray
• astray
• aue
• away
• ballet
• belay
• beltway
• beret

Kids Definition

defray

verb

de·​fray di-ˈfrā 

: to pay or provide for the payment of

more money to defray expenses