payback

noun

pay·​back ˈpā-ˌbak 

1

: requital

2

: a return on an investment equal to the original capital outlay

also : the period of time elapsed before an investment is recouped

Synonyms of payback

• revenge
• retaliation
• retribution

Examples of payback in a Sentence

They beat our team last year, so we've got to beat them this year as payback.

we are hoping to get payback for the humiliating defeat we suffered at the hands of our rivals during our last matchup

Recent Examples on the Web

Alongside these resources, the NPD Hydro portal hosts the NPD Insights catalog for site rankings, as well as the NPD Toolkit, which models payback periods while weighing environmental, community, and electrical grid considerations. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026

This could be karmic payback for making everyone watch Michigan State play in those highlighter green uniforms from a few years ago. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026

Instead, the legislation will accelerate the payback period for studios that elect to refund their credits for cash. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 29 Aug. 2026

The legislation also addresses concerns about the payback period for studios that have elected to refund credits for cash. — Katie Campione, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing payback

• payback time

Rhymes for payback

• aback
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback
• cutback