payback

noun

pay·​back ˈpā-ˌbak How to pronounce payback (audio)
Synonyms of paybacknext
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

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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
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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.
Most of these heat pump projects have payback periods that can range from five to eight years, which is an issue since textile manufacturers tend to support decarbonization projects with a much smaller payback period of three years or less. — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 31 July 2026 In consumer, brand building has a longer and less measurable payback. — Gustaf Lundberg Toresson, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 Forty years later, Wednesday, England was mere minutes from exacting payback at last. — Miami Herald, 16 July 2026 Trailer Dynamics prices its system between €145,000 and €195,000 and targets a payback period of no more than five years. — IEEE Spectrum, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for payback

Word History

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of payback was in 1935

Phrases Containing payback

Rhymes for payback

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Browse Nearby Words

pay a visit to
payback
payback time
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Cite this Entry

“Payback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/payback. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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