recompense 1 of 2

recompense

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to compensate
to give (someone) the sum of money owed for goods or services received the cash-strapped museum can recompense lecturers with only token honorariums

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to pay
to give what is owed for that company still needs to recompense the work that the contractor finished last month

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in to reimburse
to provide (someone) with a just payment for loss or injury the government has yet to adequately recompense the property owners for the land taken for the new highway

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in to repay
to make a return for the wealthy gentleman told the poor little girl she could recompense his generosity simply by enjoying her new toys

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word recompense distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of recompense are compensate, indemnify, pay, reimburse, remunerate, repay, and satisfy. While all these words mean "to give money or its equivalent in return for something," recompense suggests due return in amends, friendly repayment, or reward.

passengers were recompensed for the delay

In what contexts can compensate take the place of recompense?

The words compensate and recompense are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, compensate implies a making up for services rendered.

an attorney well compensated for her services

When would indemnify be a good substitute for recompense?

The synonyms indemnify and recompense are sometimes interchangeable, but indemnify implies making good a loss suffered through accident, disaster, warfare.

indemnified the families of the dead miners

When might pay be a better fit than recompense?

The meanings of pay and recompense largely overlap; however, pay implies the discharge of an obligation incurred.

paid their bills

When can reimburse be used instead of recompense?

In some situations, the words reimburse and recompense are roughly equivalent. However, reimburse implies a return of money that has been spent for another's benefit.

reimbursed employees for expenses

When is it sensible to use remunerate instead of recompense?

The words remunerate and recompense can be used in similar contexts, but 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 is repay a more appropriate choice than recompense?

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

repay a favor with a favor

Where would satisfy be a reasonable alternative to recompense?

While in some cases nearly identical to recompense, satisfy implies paying a person what is required by law.

all creditors will be satisfied in full

Examples 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 recompense
Noun
Under their terms, generally, captains were elected, the injured received recompense, and pay came in shares rather than in wages, with captains rarely getting more than twice what ordinary seamen did. Daniel Immerwahr, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024 This cycle of governmental theft, recompense and reinjury lives on, the federal judge said in her 2022 ruling. Tyrone Beason, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2024
Verb
Thurber complained to him about being asked to recompense The New Yorker for a sixty-dollar overpayment; writers got paid by the word (still do), and the accounting department had calculated that the final word count on a certain Thurber story was less than the original word count. Mary Norris, The New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2023 European countries like Germany and the UK have shored up money for their violent role in suppressing Namibian and Kenyan protests, but the Netherlands is the first to publicly acknowledge and recompense for slavery. Jasmine Browley, Essence, 23 Sep. 2022 See all Example Sentences for recompense 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recompense
Noun
  • While influencers are invaluable for showcasing products in action, transparency about partnerships and compensation can help build consumer trust.
    Charles Nicholls, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Hoping for compensation Lewis is among those employees now considering legal action against Jingle.
    Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Stringer was the only candidate who received the Campaign Finance Board’s first public matching funds payment on Dec. 16, netting him $2 million for a total cash balance of $2.3 million.
    Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 13 Jan. 2025
  • People who receive the refunds should cash their check within 90 days or redeem their PayPal payment within 30 days, according to the agency.
    Kate Gibson, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The water rushing along the road flutters The dress on the corpse of a woman, As the city descends long days and nights Into legend, which won’t compensate for its disasters.
    Czeslaw Milosz, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
  • But the law says that any workers who receive less than the $16.35 minimum wage must be compensated by the restaurants.
    Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Essentially, everyone has to pay to reimburse people whose homes lie in high-risk areas.
    Alana Semuels, TIME, 9 Jan. 2025
  • Red Flag Warning Will Remain Until Friday Evening As Blazes Burn More Than 2,000 Structures Google’s Gmail Upgrade—Do Not Lose Your Account On Fridays last spring, travellers didn't pay that peak travel charge.
    Nicole Kobie, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Trump reimbursed Cohen through a series of payments, which prosecutors successfully argued were falsely labeled as being for legal services.
    Alison Durkee, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
  • McMahon must reimburse his former company $1.3 million and pay a $400,000 civil penalty stemming from the government’s investigation into the wrestling kingpin.
    Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Medical Debt and Credit Medical debt is a poor predictor of an individual's ability to repay a loan, the CFPB said.
    Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Pell Grants do not have to be repaid and are given to students who come from families with among the lowest incomes or ability to pay for college.
    Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Therefore, no additional legal obligations exist that may create a call for reparations or action not directly negotiated.
    Jon McGowan, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
  • The Piano Lesson Mati Diop’s probing doc about African cultural heritage and Benin artifacts being recovered to their continental place outclasses the Denzel Washington clan’s trashy version of August Wilson’s reparation ghost story.
    Armond White, National Review, 8 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near recompense

Cite this Entry

“Recompense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recompense. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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