compensate 1 of 2

1
as in to reimburse
to provide (someone) with a just payment for loss or injury you'll have to compensate the neighbors for cutting down their tree

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2
as in to pay
to give (someone) the sum of money owed for goods or services received compensate them well for their efforts

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

compensate (for)

2 of 2

verb (2)

as in to offset
to balance with an equal force so as to make ineffective a mafioso thinking that he can compensate for the evil he's done by giving to charity

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of compensate
Verb
Naef said carbon offsetting remains an important tool but cannot be used to compensate for all emissions. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025 During testing, the researchers adjusted the rotation of the sky and found that the moths shifted their flying patterns to compensate and set a new heading. Evan Bush, NBC news, 18 June 2025 The bigger concern is that his bat is slowing down, for which he’s compensated this year by becoming more patient and selective than ever before. Keith Law, New York Times, 18 June 2025 And on June 6, a federal judge approved a court settlement that cleared the way for schools to directly compensate athletes themselves, rubber-stamping the end of amateurism in big-time college sports. Sean Gregory, Time, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for compensate

Cite this Entry

“Compensate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compensate. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

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