1
as in to reimburse
to provide (someone) with a just payment for loss or injury you'll have to compensate the neighbors for cutting down their tree

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to pay
to give (someone) the sum of money owed for goods or services received compensate them well for their efforts

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word compensate distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of compensate are indemnify, pay, recompense, reimburse, remunerate, repay, and satisfy. While all these words mean "to give money or its equivalent in return for something," compensate implies a making up for services rendered.

an attorney well compensated for her services

When is it sensible to use indemnify instead of compensate?

Although the words indemnify and compensate 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 compensate?

The words pay and compensate can be used in similar contexts, but pay implies the discharge of an obligation incurred.

paid their bills

Where would recompense be a reasonable alternative to compensate?

In some situations, the words recompense and compensate are roughly equivalent. However, recompense suggests due return in amends, friendly repayment, or reward.

passengers were recompensed for the delay

In what contexts can reimburse take the place of compensate?

The synonyms reimburse and compensate are sometimes interchangeable, but reimburse implies a return of money that has been spent for another's benefit.

reimbursed employees for expenses

When would remunerate be a good substitute for compensate?

The words remunerate and compensate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 could repay be used to replace compensate?

While the synonyms repay and compensate are close in meaning, repay stresses paying back an equivalent in kind or amount.

repay a favor with a favor

When might satisfy be a better fit than compensate?

While in some cases nearly identical to compensate, 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 compensate The manager has, though, consistently talked up the importance of Aaronson’s running and how that compensates for his team-mates. Beren Cross, The Athletic, 19 Mar. 2025 The translation of Google and OpenAI’s grave proclamations is that AI companies should have exceptions around copyright laws, which would enable them to train AI models without seeking permission or compensating rights holders. Brian Welk, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2025 Officers are being compensated for their time through a private contract with UnitedHealthcare, according to the KSTP report. Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025 The team's $40 million budget will increase by at least $8 million, not including the $13 million that's been pledged to compensate football players or the $7 million the school budgeted in severance pay to outgoing coach Mack Brown and his staff over the next two years. Zachery Eanes, Axios, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for compensate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compensate
Verb
  • All parties have reimbursed the man for their shares of the expenses.
    Ashley Vega, People.com, 24 Mar. 2025
  • On February 11, three days after Wright’s home burned to the ground, the governor issued an order to reimburse childcare workers for 30 days.
    Christine Ro, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • There is a price to be paid for that much larger sensor though—the GFX100RF is larger and heavier than any of the X100 cameras.
    Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Cutting-edge visual effects create a world of talking photorealistic animals that might as well be a nature documentary, and attention is paid to livening up the humor, with Billy Eichner’s funny, overdramatic meerkat Timon showing up everybody, including Beyoncé. 9.
    Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • That explanation has failed to satisfy Democrats who say that plans for imminent military strikes are regularly classified.
    David Klepper, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2025
  • One of the requirements to satisfy the banks into loaning Arsenal the money was a commitment for Wenger to stay for five years.
    Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Bank small-dollar loans: Growing in popularity, these are typically less than $1,000 and repaid in a few weeks or months.
    Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
  • The company completed the redemption of its Preferred Shares and repaid its Senior Notes, reflecting a focus on optimizing its capital structure.
    Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Compensate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compensate. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

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