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
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
Cargill returned at Elimination Chamber to deliver some payback.
—
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2025
According to the World Economic Forum, companies that assess their climate risks and act on them report paybacks of $2 to $19 for every dollar invested, depending on the sector.
—Elena Bou, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
In a few online forums, men have floated the idea of creating their own men-only version of the app as payback for women’s use of Tea.
—Kevin Collier, NBC news, 25 July 2025
Both are alarmed that their younger counterparts have begun receiving similar threatening notes one year after their own roadside tragedy, and yet another person or persons rocking a rain slicker and one long, nasty hook are doling out some karmic payback.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for payback
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2025
According to the World Economic Forum, companies that assess their climate risks and act on them report paybacks of $2 to $19 for every dollar invested, depending on the sector.
—Elena Bou, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
In a few online forums, men have floated the idea of creating their own men-only version of the app as payback for women’s use of Tea.
—Kevin Collier, NBC news, 25 July 2025
Both are alarmed that their younger counterparts have begun receiving similar threatening notes one year after their own roadside tragedy, and yet another person or persons rocking a rain slicker and one long, nasty hook are doling out some karmic payback.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for payback
Cite this Entry
“Payback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/payback. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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