ratepayer

noun

rate·​pay·​er ˈrāt-ˌpā-ər 

1

British : taxpayer

2

: one who pays for a utility service and especially electricity according to established rates

Examples of ratepayer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Sacramento County’s waste program is funded entirely by ratepayers, not county tax revenue, so increases in labor, fuel and equipment costs threaten the program’s solvency, according to a county news release. — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026

Senator Jon Husted, a Republican from Ohio, speaks during a roundtable on a ratepayer protection pledge in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. — Justin Papp, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026

Ty Masterson Masterson, the Republican nominee from Andover and president of the state Senate, says Kansas rules adopted in 2025 already protect utility ratepayers from bearing costs associated with data center developments. — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026

To protect ratepayers and ensure grid resilience, a diverse power generation mix is absolutely essential. — Ray Long, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ratepayer

• interlayer
• monolayer
• multilayer
• multiplayer
• overlayer
• assayer
• ballplayer
• betrayer
• bilayer
• bricklayer
• conveyer
• conveyor