rent 1 of 2

1
as in tear
a long deep cut getting her skirt caught on a nail resulted in a four-inch rent that she couldn't possibly repair

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2

rent

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to lease
to give the possession and use of (something) in return for periodic payment we rented the apartment to a college student for $500 a month

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in to hire
to take or get the temporary use of (something) for a set sum will need to rent a car while we're in Europe

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word rent different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of rent are charter, hire, lease, and let. While all these words mean "to engage or grant for use at a price," rent stresses the payment of money for the full use of property and may imply either hiring or letting.

instead of buying a house, they decided to rent
will not rent to families with children

Where would charter be a reasonable alternative to rent?

The words charter and rent can be used in similar contexts, but charter applies to the hiring or letting of a vehicle usually for exclusive use.

charter a bus to go to the game

How are the words hire and let related as synonyms of rent?

Both hire and let, strictly speaking, are complementary terms, hire implying the act of engaging or taking for use and let the granting of use.

we hired a car for the summer
decided to let the cottage to a young couple

When would lease be a good substitute for rent?

The meanings of lease and rent largely overlap; however, lease strictly implies a letting under the terms of a contract but is often applied to hiring on a lease.

the diplomat leased an apartment for a year

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 rent
Noun
The 24-year-old tenant posted photos of a $400 per night Airbnb rental in Miami, despite being three weeks late on her $1,800 monthly rent, said Rivera. Kaela Ling, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025 The department provided temporary financial assistance to individuals and families for rent, mortgage, utilities, hygiene items and transportation. Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
More than 100 crewmembers were employed, the majority of whom were Canadians flown in on a private jet rented from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025 The main residence, which offers access to a fairytale tower, music room, boathouse, tennis court, and a private island, was previously rented out for short-term stays by its current owners. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rent
Noun
  • Festival audiences responded with emotional intensity, including visible tears and audible gasps during the screening.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Anisimova could not hold back the tears in her on-court interview following the match.
    Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • For borrowers in their second or third year of college worried about getting across the finish line, Pierce recommends speaking with financial aid offices to access grants or cheaper loans to fill gaps.
    Rachel Hale, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
  • And Russia, already emboldened, will see the gap between rhetoric and capability as permanent.
    Brett Erickson, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Under the program qualifying lessees who place an order for a Gravity by September 30 and lease between October 1 and December 31 will be eligible to receive a $7,500 Lucid Advantage Credit.
    Ed Garsten, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Many opt to lease EVs to save money A loophole in the tax credit, which was part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, gave dealers a unique ability to promote highly attractive leases for new EVs and plug-in hybrids.
    Susan Tompor, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Hit Man Based on an outrageous true story, Richard Linklater's 2024 action rom-com sees Glen Powell donning the many disguises of Gary Johnson, a New Orleans Police Department contractor who poses as a hitman to arrest those trying to hire him.
    Jacqueline Weiss, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Coleman was recruited to Arizona by Fisch and transferred to Washington when the coach was hired in Seattle.
    Joe Davidosn, Sacbee.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The boxy turtleneck has a high-low hem with side slits, falling effortlessly over the matching wide-leg lounge pants for a comfy yet refined aesthetic.
    Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2025
  • As the road curves around, the Inland Sea comes into view, its small pool feeding into the ocean through a massive slit in the cliff.
    AFAR Media, AFAR Media, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • As the Republican candidate stood on the fifth-hole putting green, a Secret Service agent was riding a golf cart in a security sweep of the sixth hole and noticed someone hiding behind a chain-link fence in the southeast corner of the course.
    Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Untangle the roots and spread them out in their planting holes.
    Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching).
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
  • And because fall is all about staying cozy-slash-comfy while being on your feet all day, the Bae delivers support via its ultra-contoured outsole, accommodating toe box, and collar that, though made of the rubber-adjacent Croslite proprietary material, never rubs at your feet or causes blisters.
    Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Growth in the number of new indoor resorts had the biggest percentage increase, with six opening in the last year, bringing the country’s total to 66 -- more than double the 31 indoor resorts that China had in 2020.
    Russell Flannery, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Trim trees and install storm shutters, accordion shutters and impact glass; seal outside wall openings.
    Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rent. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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