plural rents
: money that you pay in return for being able to use property and especially to live in an apartment, house, etc., that belongs to someone else
How much do you pay in rent?
Rent is due on the first of the month.
Our landlord raised the rent.
Rents near the college have risen.
rents; rented; renting
1
: to pay money in return for being able to use (something that belongs to someone else)
We rented our friends' cottage for the month of August.
(US) We rented tables and chairs for the wedding.
(US) We rented [=(Brit) hired] a car at the airport.
(US) Do you want to rent a movie/DVD/video tonight?
When they first moved to town, they rented. [=they lived in a house, apartment, etc., that was rented]
Do you own or rent?
2
: to allow someone to use (something) in return for payment
They rented [=let] their cottage to friends.
We rented them the upstairs apartment in our house.
We rent (out) a room in our house to a college student.
3
: to be available for use in return for payment : to be for rent
The cottage rents for $400 a week.
rent
3 of 4past tense and past participle of rend
plural rents
formal + literary
: a hole made by tearing something
a rent in the fabric
Cite this Entry
“Rent.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/rent. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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