recompense

verb rec·om·pense \ ˈre-kəm-ˌpen(t)s \

Updated on: 20 Mar 2018

Definition of recompense

recompensed; recompensing

transitive verb

1 a : to give something to by way of compensation (as for a service rendered or damage incurred)

b : to pay for

2 : to return in kind : requite

See recompense defined for English-language learners

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Examples of recompense in a Sentence

the cash-strapped museum can recompense lecturers with only token honorariums
that company still needs to recompense the work that the contractor finished last month

Origin and Etymology of recompense

Middle English, from Anglo-French recompenser, from Late Latin recompensare, from Latin re- + compensare to compensate

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First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

recompense Synonyms

Synonyms

ante (up), balance, clear, discharge, foot, liquidate, meet, pay, pay off, pay up, pony up, quit, settle, spring (for), stand;

Antonyms

repudiate;

Synonym Discussion of recompense

pay, compensate, remunerate, satisfy, reimburse, indemnify, repay, recompense mean to give money or its equivalent in return for something. pay implies the discharge of an obligation incurred.

- paid their bills

compensate implies a making up for services rendered.

- an attorney well compensated for her services

remunerate clearly suggests paying for services rendered and may extend to payment that is generous or not contracted for.

- promised to remunerate the searchers handsomely

satisfy implies paying a person what is required by law.

- all creditors will be satisfied in full

reimburse implies a return of money that has been spent for another's benefit.

- reimbursed employees for expenses

indemnify implies making good a loss suffered through accident, disaster, warfare.

- indemnified the families of the dead miners

repay stresses paying back an equivalent in kind or amount.

- repay a favor with a favor

recompense suggests due return in amends, friendly repayment, or reward.

- passengers were recompensed for the delay

recompense

noun

Definition of recompense

: an equivalent or a return for something done, suffered, or given : compensation

offered in recompense for injuries

See recompense defined for English-language learners

Examples of recompense in a Sentence

He is asking for a just recompense for the work he's done.
He received $10,000 in recompense for his injuries.

Recent Examples of recompense from the Web

Whether these descendants of slaves deserve recompense for the atrocities inflicted on their ancestors is one of the great unresolved questions of American society.

— alexander nazaryan, Newsweek, "New York City Would Really Rather Not Talk About Its Slavery-Loving Past," 15 Apr. 2015
Sharpton said Erica didn’t die of a heart attack but of a heart that was attacked, after seeing her father so brutally snuffed out with no recompense.

— angela helm, The Root, "Erica Garner’s Funeral Was Marred by a Family Dispute, but Her Unapologetic Warrior Spirit Could Not Be Diminished," 9 Jan. 2018
Our only hope remains in the unseen recompense of the invisible, omnipotent God who King believed would avenge the sins of these evil men.

— michael harriot, The Root, "What Martin Luther King Jr. Would Say About White People and Their ‘Shithole’ Silence," 12 Jan. 2018
Allowing the residents of nations whose wealth our elites expropriated through imperial conquest — and/or predatory economic policies — is an act of selfless generosity, not of modest recompense.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump’s ‘Sh*thole Country’ Remarks Are Right-wing Political Correctness Run Amok," 12 Jan. 2018
Deripaska was seeking millions of dollars in recompense from Manafort and Gates as recently as August 2015, according to court records from the Cayman Islands, and at one point hired a private investigator to track the two men down.

— andrew roth, Washington Post, "Manafort’s Russia connection: What you need to know about Oleg Deripaska," 24 Sep. 2017
Plus, companies often require accusers to go through a quiet arbitration process rather than seeking public recompense in a court of law.

— annie lowrey, The Atlantic, "The Inequality Beneath the Sexual-Harassment Headlines," 26 Oct. 2017
When the payments stop, insurers must still provide the discounts, but without recompense.

— The Economist, "Insure, unsureThe president’s indecision on health care is costly for middle-earners," 19 Oct. 2017
As a recompense to the victims, the firm is offering this service free for a year.

— michael hiltzik, latimes.com, "Here are all the ways the Equifax data breach is worse than you can imagine," 8 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'recompense.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.