Synonym Chooser

How is the word repay distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of repay are compensate, indemnify, pay, recompense, reimburse, remunerate, and satisfy. While all these words mean "to give money or its equivalent in return for something," repay stresses paying back an equivalent in kind or amount.

repay a favor with a favor

In what contexts can compensate take the place of repay?

In some situations, the words compensate and repay are roughly equivalent. However, compensate implies a making up for services rendered.

an attorney well compensated for her services

When is indemnify a more appropriate choice than repay?

Although the words indemnify and repay 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 repay?

While in some cases nearly identical to repay, pay implies the discharge of an obligation incurred.

paid their bills

When would recompense be a good substitute for repay?

The synonyms recompense and repay are sometimes interchangeable, but recompense suggests due return in amends, friendly repayment, or reward.

passengers were recompensed for the delay

When is it sensible to use reimburse instead of repay?

The words reimburse and repay are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, reimburse implies a return of money that has been spent for another's benefit.

reimbursed employees for expenses

Where would remunerate be a reasonable alternative to repay?

While the synonyms remunerate and repay are close in meaning, 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 might satisfy be a better fit than repay?

The meanings of satisfy and repay largely overlap; however, 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 repay All the money will be made available to victims in the next five years, and the county expects to be repaying its bonds, with interest, for the next 25 years. Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2025 Crete expects a loan of $2 million, none of which the village has to repay, Crete plans to replace 200 lines. Mike Nolan, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2025 The proposal is structured so that as the land is developed and its property taxes rise, the increases would be used to repay the costs of infrastructure needed for the project. Annika Merrilees, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2025 While the current deal would enrich Redstone, the controlling shareholder of Paramount, and enable her to repay debt, a new sale at a lower price brings uncertainty. Tom Tapp, Deadline, 5 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for repay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repay
Verb
  • Provider taxes States can boost federal Medicaid contributions to their states through what's known as a provider tax, often levying taxes on health care providers, which raises the overall cost of a service and therefore increases the portion reimbursed by the state.
    July 1, CBS News, 1 July 2025
  • Arkansas, Missouri and Texas have already barred Planned Parenthood from getting reimbursed by Medicaid for any kind of health care.
    Naomi Cahn, The Conversation, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • There’s the case of Robert (Standing Deer) Wilson, who approached you and basically confessed to being paid to put a hit on you.
    Nick Estes, New Yorker, 26 June 2025
  • The cost of the wedding has been estimated at up to nearly $50M, infuriating locals and activists who claim Amazon pays minimal taxes in European countries and point to Bezos’ use of his extreme personal wealth to effectively take over parts of the historic city, disrupting daily life.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • That 20-year Russian-Iranian Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signed had no mutual defense clause, but Iran's backing for Russia's war in Ukraine with Shahed drones appears not to have been reciprocated.
    Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
  • That, in turn, would compel the United States to reciprocate in an iterative process.
    Daniel C. Kurtzer, Foreign Affairs, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • The magnetic appeal of Longboat Key after many visits as well as aging parents nearby had motivated us to exchange Wisconsin winters for seaside living in the Sunshine State.
    Michelle Johnson, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
  • Shares of private company can be exchanged by accredited investors in secondary markets; Republic will initially price SpaceX tokens based on how the company’s shares are performing there.
    Tanaya Macheel, CNBC, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • This level of detail positions your content as the go-to resource that satisfies even the most specific queries.
    Kevin Dam, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • Judge Subramanian said the jurors must reach a unanimous verdict, but must not give up their convictions merely to return a verdict or satisfy the rest of the jurors.
    Lauryn Overhultz , Tracy Wright , Maria Paronich , Brendan McDonald, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Not only does this type of pain point to an underlying injury, pushing through can lead to a secondary injury, because other muscles and tissues absorb extra stress to compensate.
    Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 23 June 2025
  • Foremost, Desmond Bane was no more than a third wheel for the Grizzlies, behind Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., with ample options currently on Memphis’ roster to compensate for the dealing of Bane.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 22 June 2025
Verb
  • Reflecting Lee’s turmoil as he’s tormented by heroin withdrawals and his not entirely requited affection for Allerton, the film is moody, and the sets reflect the interior landscapes of its characters.
    Rachel Davies, Architectural Digest, 16 Dec. 2024
  • In the book, the main character falls in love with an android that only pretends to requite his feelings.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 22 Mar. 2023

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Cite this Entry

“Repay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repay. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

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