as in revenge
the act or an instance of responding to an injury with an injury
we are hoping to get payback for the humiliating defeat we suffered at the hands of our rivals during our last matchup
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
pay back
2 of 2phrase
as in reimburse
to make a return payment to
I already paid back what I owed you for groceries.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Examples of payback in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Claire Rychlewski, Axios, 23 July 2024
Conceived by Sharon Osbourne, manager and wife of Ozzy Osbourne, as something of a middle finger to Lollapalooza, Ozzfest quickly defined itself as much more than mere payback.
—Richard Bienstock, Billboard, 17 July 2024
In three to five years — the time Moscow will need to reconstitute its battered forces — strategists believe the Kremlin will gear up to intensify a payback campaign that has already begun with sabotage attacks in Europe, and might also target the United States.
—Lee Hockstader, Washington Post, 31 July 2024
The ability to bathe in The Seine is simply a side show; payback to Parisians for the use of massive public funds to complete such an ambitious river restoration project.
—Morgan Meaker, WIRED, 17 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for payback 
Noun
After the company hit payback and efficiency milestones — including a 20-point NPS score improvement during the chaotic enrollment period in January — Headway's investors were prepared to put in more cash.
—Claire Rychlewski, Axios, 23 July 2024
Conceived by Sharon Osbourne, manager and wife of Ozzy Osbourne, as something of a middle finger to Lollapalooza, Ozzfest quickly defined itself as much more than mere payback.
—Richard Bienstock, Billboard, 17 July 2024
In three to five years — the time Moscow will need to reconstitute its battered forces — strategists believe the Kremlin will gear up to intensify a payback campaign that has already begun with sabotage attacks in Europe, and might also target the United States.
—Lee Hockstader, Washington Post, 31 July 2024
The ability to bathe in The Seine is simply a side show; payback to Parisians for the use of massive public funds to complete such an ambitious river restoration project.
—Morgan Meaker, WIRED, 17 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for payback
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'payback.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Thesaurus Entries Near payback
Cite this Entry
“Payback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/payback. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.
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