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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of payback
ABC News, 25 Feb. 2026
The angry ocean off Scituate (as pictured above) is claiming payback with more than 5,400 homes left in the dark.
—Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
Capital expenditures for supplier decarbonization projects are often delayed because of long payback periods that suppliers cannot handle alone.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 16 Feb. 2026
No franchise in football, and few in sports, have begged more patience from fans with so little payback across so much time.
—Miami Herald, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for payback
Noun
The payback could come in the draft as the third running back taken in the top 10 in the past four years.
—ABC News, 25 Feb. 2026
The angry ocean off Scituate (as pictured above) is claiming payback with more than 5,400 homes left in the dark.
—Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
Capital expenditures for supplier decarbonization projects are often delayed because of long payback periods that suppliers cannot handle alone.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 16 Feb. 2026
No franchise in football, and few in sports, have begged more patience from fans with so little payback across so much time.
—Miami Herald, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for payback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for payback
Noun
-
Those hoping for a memorable revenge game were disappointed.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Emanuel Sharp made all three of his 3s to christen his revenge tour.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Recent strikes on Qatar’s vast Ras Laffan natural gas processing facility, which was hit by two Iranian missiles last week in retaliation for an Israeli strike on the Iranian South Pars gas field, sent shockwaves through the global energy markets, surging already highly elevated global prices.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
23 Mar. 2026
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Iranian state media has framed the overnight attacks on Israel as retaliation for the bombing of the Natanz nuclear facility.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The person asked not to be identified for fear of retribution.—
Erika Edwards,
NBC news,
24 Mar. 2026
-
One source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, was interviewed by two FBI agents last July at the agency’s office near Kansas City International Airport.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Payback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/payback. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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