as in revenge
the act or an instance of responding to an injury with an injury
we are hoping to get payback for the humiliating defeat we suffered at the hands of our rivals during our last matchup
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
pay back
2 of 2phrase
as in reimburse
to make a return payment to
I already paid back what I owed you for groceries.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of payback
Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
That is, until Edward shoots and kills him on school grounds, ending Alderman’s payback, and flees the scene with Taylah, who has digitized the prime formula on her phone.
—Jake Kring-Schreifels, TIME, 5 Mar. 2025
Carney and Casale insist they are motivated by good fiscal sense, not political payback.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2025
Paulie does eventually get some payback later, though, with an open-handed slap that easily knocks Reacher to the ground—but that’s only the beginning.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for payback
Noun
The attack, a storyline payback for Cargill's own hiatus-inducing assault, saw Cargill interrupt Naomi's Elimination Chamber match.
—Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
That is, until Edward shoots and kills him on school grounds, ending Alderman’s payback, and flees the scene with Taylah, who has digitized the prime formula on her phone.
—Jake Kring-Schreifels, TIME, 5 Mar. 2025
Carney and Casale insist they are motivated by good fiscal sense, not political payback.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2025
Paulie does eventually get some payback later, though, with an open-handed slap that easily knocks Reacher to the ground—but that’s only the beginning.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for payback
Cite this Entry
“Payback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/payback. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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