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 The buyer must repay the full value of the tax credit to the IRS when filing a tax return. Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2025 And one five-time Grammy Award-winning artist is still trying to repay that debt. Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 2 Sep. 2025 Her 13 senior appearances last term, including first starts in the Champions League and WSL, repaid their faith. Megan Feringa, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2025 Alas, there are some debts that can’t be repaid. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 31 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for repay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repay
Verb
  • States’ restitution penalties are established to deter poaching, but also to ensure the wildlife agency is reimbursed for the loss of a poached trophy animal.
    Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Homeowners may be reimbursed for costs associated with flood damage now that federal relief has been approved, and the county will also be able to seek reimbursement for public damage.
    JR Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In 2022, things came to a head when the company not only failed to pay its vendors but also ceased communication with their customers.
    Amanda Lauren, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • The buyers also agree to pay those growers a small premium that is passed down to their workers.
    Max Blau, ProPublica, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Position yourself as someone who adds value first, and people naturally want to reciprocate.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Iran was supposed to defend its proxies, to reciprocate for their many years of fighting for Iran.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Three weeks later in London, the same service required a bank transfer – no cash accepted, no cards processed, just account details exchanged securely and payment completed in seconds.
    Penny Lee, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Parents lined up on a sidewalk outside Bergen Meadow Elementary School, waiting to reunite with their children, exchanging hugs and quiet conversation.
    Katie Langford, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • To satisfy this demand, Nebius will supply Microsoft with dedicated capacity from a new data center located in Vineland, New Jersey, starting later this year.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Other tasters agreed these anchovies had a meaty texture, which made each fillet a satisfying several bites.
    Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Most available positions are informal, poorly compensated and offer little stability or room for career growth.
    Nir Kshetri, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2025
  • That’s the extent to which Netzer was considered the key man beforehand, but his poor form eventually cost him a place in the West German starting XI, and the side compensated for his absence through discipline and energy rather than flair.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But after years of wooing Silicon Valley, the Defense Department’s interest became requited, with companies like Amazon seeing opportunities to replace the government’s hodge-podge data centers with cloud computing, for which the Pentagon was offering a $10 billion contract prize in 2019.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2025
  • The individuals are putting money to work furiously, in individual stocks, demonstrating faith not in Trump, but in business, and it is being requited and will continue to be requited with higher stock prices.
    Jim Cramer, CNBC, 13 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Repay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repay. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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