REPAY Synonyms: 30 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'repay' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of repay are compensate , indemnify , pay , recompense , reimburse , remunerate , and satisfy . While all these words mean "to give money or its equivalent in return for something," repay stresses paying back an equivalent in kind or amount. // repay a favor with a favor

Q: In what contexts can 'compensate' take the place of 'repay'?

In some situations, the words compensate and repay are roughly equivalent. However, compensate implies a making up for services rendered. // an attorney well compensated for her services

Q: When is 'indemnify' a more appropriate choice than 'repay'?

Although the words indemnify and repay have much in common, indemnify implies making good a loss suffered through accident, disaster, warfare. // indemnified the families of the dead miners

Q: When can 'pay' be used instead of 'repay'?

While in some cases nearly identical to repay , pay implies the discharge of an obligation incurred. // paid their bills

Q: When would 'recompense' be a good substitute for 'repay'?

The synonyms recompense and repay are sometimes interchangeable, but recompense suggests due return in amends, friendly repayment, or reward. // passengers were recompensed for the delay

Q: When is it sensible to use 'reimburse' instead of 'repay'?

The words reimburse and repay are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, reimburse implies a return of money that has been spent for another's benefit. // reimbursed employees for expenses

Q: Where would 'remunerate' be a reasonable alternative to 'repay'?

While the synonyms remunerate and repay are close in meaning, 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

Q: When might 'satisfy' be a better fit than 'repay'?

The meanings of satisfy and repay largely overlap; however, satisfy implies paying a person what is required by law. // all creditors will be satisfied in full

repay

verb

(ˌ)rē-ˈpā

Definition of repay

as in to reimburse

to make a return payment to I repaid my friend the $20 he had lent me

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to pay

to make a return for how can we ever repay your kindness?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word repay distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of repay are compensate, indemnify, pay, recompense, reimburse, remunerate, and satisfy. While all these words mean "to give money or its equivalent in return for something," repay stresses paying back an equivalent in kind or amount.

repay a favor with a favor

In what contexts can compensate take the place of repay?

In some situations, the words compensate and repay are roughly equivalent. However, compensate implies a making up for services rendered.

an attorney well compensated for her services

When is indemnify a more appropriate choice than repay?

Although the words indemnify and repay 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 repay?

While in some cases nearly identical to repay, pay implies the discharge of an obligation incurred.

paid their bills

When would recompense be a good substitute for repay?

The synonyms recompense and repay are sometimes interchangeable, but recompense suggests due return in amends, friendly repayment, or reward.

passengers were recompensed for the delay

When is it sensible to use reimburse instead of repay?

The words reimburse and repay are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, reimburse implies a return of money that has been spent for another's benefit.

reimbursed employees for expenses

Where would remunerate be a reasonable alternative to repay?

While the synonyms remunerate and repay are close in meaning, 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 might satisfy be a better fit than repay?

The meanings of satisfy and repay largely overlap; however, 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 repay Whether Charlotte can refuse to support immigration enforcement without losing funding or being required to repay it is also unclear at the moment, Patterson said. — Laura Horne, Charlotte Observer, 11 Aug. 2026 Reverse mortgage loans typically don't need to to be repaid until the homeowner moves out, sells the home or dies. — Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026 The plan was for the Speedwell to remain in North America and fish for cod to salt and dry and take back to help repay the investors who bankrolled the journey. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026 The prosecutor recommended the commission seek articles of impeachment, refer the matter to law enforcement and have the mayor repay the $50,000. — Sara-James Ranta, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for repay

Recent Examples of Synonyms for repay

Verb

The funding would reimburse services provided to Oakland County residents, including cancer screenings, annual wellness exams, STI testing and treatment, contraception, and reproductive health counseling.

— Alysia Burgio, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
That rule was largely started to reimburse students that went to for-profit colleges, it's now being applied to nonprofit colleges.

— Dana Taylor, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of reimburse

Verb

Nothing has swirled more than appreciation — a sentiment Royals fans reciprocated on Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium with a pre-game ceremony in Perez’s honor for the record-breaker that once would have seemed preposterous.

— Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 4 Aug. 2026
The first are eleven reciprocating gas engines, totaling about 30 MW, which mechanically drive compressors used to process and move natural gas.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of reciprocate

Verb

German authorities said Russia organized the 2019 killing of Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, a former Chechen rebel commander who was shot in a Berlin park by Vadim Krasikov, a hitman who was later greeted by Putin after he was exchanged in a spy swap.

— Claudia Ciobanu, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
German authorities also said Russia organized the 2019 killing of Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, a former Chechen rebel commander who was shot in a Berlin park by Vadim Krasikov, a hitman who was later greeted by Putin after he was exchanged in a spy swap.

— CBS News, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of exchange

Verb

Or, at the very least, set aside assets that can be liquidated to satisfy the guarantee even if that means that some assets will not be fully deployed to gain additional leverage.

— Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
But some observers believe there’s nothing Paramount could agree to that would satisfy the state AGs or other opponents of the deal.

— Todd Spangler, Variety, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of satisfy

Verb

As litigation drags on, the plaintiff will necessarily require a higher settlement amount to compensate for the fees incurred so far and this will make the case more difficult to settle.

— Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
To compensate, attackers have increasingly relied on infostealer malware and adversary-in-the–middle attacks.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of compensate

Verb

But after years of wooing Silicon Valley, the Defense Department’s interest became requited, with companies like Amazon seeing opportunities to replace the government’s hodge-podge data centers with cloud computing, for which the Pentagon was offering a $10 billion contract prize in 2019.

— Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2025
The individuals are putting money to work furiously, in individual stocks, demonstrating faith not in Trump, but in business, and it is being requited and will continue to be requited with higher stock prices.

— Jim Cramer, CNBC, 13 July 2025

Definition of requite

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“Repay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repay. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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