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

Staking is the process of distributing the economic benefits of Web3 across the network, while defraying and reducing the many risks of network participation, to help ensure the bedrock of the protocol network remains stable. —Lawrence Wintermeyer, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025

To defray the lost tax revenue to the government and avoid piling onto the nation’s $36 trillion debt load, Republicans want reduce federal spending by imposing work requirements for some Americans who rely on government safety net services. —Mary Clare Jalonick, Chicago Tribune, 3 June 2025

Federal money helps to pay those higher salaries, as well as to defray research costs. —Allison Schrager, Twin Cities, 3 June 2025

Republicans should entirely repeal the Inflation Reduction Act and heed Trump’s call for repealing the CHIPS Act to help defray the budgetary impact of full expensing. —The Editors, National Review, 9 June 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