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 Now, Kalloway and other landowners along the trail who lost sections of their properties when the railroad was converted will be opted into a class action lawsuit to be compensated for their land. Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 15 Oct. 2025 Even if not at their maximum crop yield, protein-rich beans, pumpkin flesh, and pumpkin seeds yield additional protein that compensates for the slightly diminished crop yields. JSTOR Daily, 14 Oct. 2025 Not only are there integration expenses from acquisitions, but the fund managers and partners at these firms are well-compensated. Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025 Just as California could not seize a mineral estate for the public without compensating the owner, the state cannot avoid paying simply by regulating the mineral rights out of existence. Chris Kieser, Oc Register, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for compensate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compensate
Verb
  • Lastly, is that large scale sell-offs do still trigger additional liquidations and margin calls, such as the issues that occurred at Binance during the sell-off, leading the firm to reimburse customers in excess of $400 million.
    Sean Stein Smith, Forbes.com, 18 Oct. 2025
  • If the airline doesn’t reimburse, travel insurance will.
    Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Lowdown is paying tribute to its late star, Graham Greene.
    Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Their separation came five years after the couple were entangled in the Operation Varsity Blues scandal, pleading guilty to wire and mail fraud related to paying hundreds of thousands in bribes to get their daughters into the University of Southern California.
    Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • There’s something satisfying about the victim-less crime.
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
  • What results, though, is a tonally erratic chore that might not satisfy either party.
    Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • City officials warn that shutting down the streetcar could require repaying $48 million in federal funds and jeopardize future transit funding.
    Vanessa Swales, jsonline.com, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Before, insurers had to repay only 30 percent of coverage up to $250,000.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Compensate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compensate. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.

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