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

That lack of transparency is a problem when utility shareholders benefit from expensive projects while ratepayers are stuck footing the bill. —Lorig Charkoudian, Baltimore Sun, 14 May 2025

This bill gives more power to the same bureaucrats that created this mess and asks ratepayers to trust them again. —Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald, 13 May 2025

Whatever spike ratepayers ultimately see in their premiums will come on top of the near-certain $1 billion burden of bailing out the FAIR (Fair Access to Insurance Requirements) Plan. —Max Taves, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2025

But if that happens, policyholders across California could end up paying more, as a new state policy would allow State Farm, Allstate and other insurance companies to recoup half of their assessments by charging their ratepayers. —Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025

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