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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word compensate distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of compensate are indemnify, pay, recompense, reimburse, remunerate, repay, and satisfy. While all these words mean "to give money or its equivalent in return for something," compensate implies a making up for services rendered.

an attorney well compensated for her services

When is it sensible to use indemnify instead of compensate?

Although the words indemnify and compensate have much in common, indemnify implies making good a loss suffered through accident, disaster, warfare.

indemnified the families of the dead miners

When can pay be used instead of compensate?

The words pay and compensate can be used in similar contexts, but pay implies the discharge of an obligation incurred.

paid their bills

Where would recompense be a reasonable alternative to compensate?

In some situations, the words recompense and compensate are roughly equivalent. However, recompense suggests due return in amends, friendly repayment, or reward.

passengers were recompensed for the delay

In what contexts can reimburse take the place of compensate?

The synonyms reimburse and compensate are sometimes interchangeable, but reimburse implies a return of money that has been spent for another's benefit.

reimbursed employees for expenses

When would remunerate be a good substitute for compensate?

The words remunerate and compensate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

When could repay be used to replace compensate?

While the synonyms repay and compensate are close in meaning, repay stresses paying back an equivalent in kind or amount.

repay a favor with a favor

When might satisfy be a better fit than compensate?

While in some cases nearly identical to compensate, satisfy implies paying a person what is required by law.

all creditors will be satisfied in full

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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compensate
Verb
  • Walgreens believed that its scale and its millions of customers gave it clout with pharmacy benefits managers, or PBMs, which function as a type of go-between, negotiating how much patients pay for drugs, what insurers owe drugmakers, and how much pharmacies are reimbursed.
    Phil Wahba, Fortune, 17 June 2025
  • As a sponsor of food distribution sites, Partners submitted claims on their behalf and took administrative fees from the money that was reimbursed.
    Josh Verges, Twin Cities, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • Letarte expects teams to pay more attention to their In-Season Challenge competitors as the five-race tournament plays out, and the potential $1 million draws closer.
    Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 26 June 2025
  • Jordan shot Marter in the back of the head before her banker husband paid a $25,000 ransom for her return on Jan. 12, 1976.
    Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • Under Chapter 11, creditors, including the IRS, cannot take your primary residence to satisfy debts.
    Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 18 June 2025
  • Serve up a board at a party, and have fun sampling all the different flavors with your guests, or whip up a quick flight for a drool-worthy afternoon snack that satisfies all your cravings.
    Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • These half-century-old awards, which don’t need to be repaid, make a big difference in whether students from families of modest means enroll and stay in college, their supporters say.
    Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
  • Under the law, customers would remain responsible for whatever costs are approved by PURA, but repay them in smaller monthly installments over a longer period.
    Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 24 June 2025

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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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