compensate
verb
com·pen·sate
ˈkäm-pən-ˌsāt
-ˌpen-
compensated; compensating
1
: to be equivalent to : counterbalance
Her virtues compensate her faults.
2
: to make an appropriate and usually counterbalancing payment to
compensate the victims for their loss
3
a
: to provide with means of counteracting variation
compensate a magnetic needle
b
: to neutralize the effect of (variations)
1
: to supply an equivalent
—used with for
… compensate for his feelings of loneliness by assertions of superiority.—W. H. Auden
2
: to offset an error, defect, or undesired effect
I hope my enthusiasm compensates for my lack of skill.
3
: to undergo or engage in psychological or physiological compensation
Their aggression was an attempt to compensate for inherent passivity.
Cite this Entry
“Compensate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compensate. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.
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