1
as in compensation
payment to another for a loss or injury
the jury awarded an additional $5,000 in recompense for physical pain and suffering
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2
as in payment
something (as money) that is given or received in return for goods or services
the volunteer expects nothing more than sincere thanks as recompense for his efforts
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of recompense
Emily Maddick, Glamour, 30 Sep. 2024
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
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
Noun
While the tape became an era-defining moment in celebrity culture, neither Anderson nor Lee reportedly received any financial recompense.
—Emily Maddick, Glamour, 30 Sep. 2024
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
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
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Each year, the trustees’ compensation will increase by 2%, though the board can vote in May to waive this increase for that year, the municipal code states.—
Samantha Moilanen,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Feb. 2025
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However, the draft does not include a contentious Trump administration proposal to give the U.S. $500 billion worth of profits from Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as compensation for its wartime assistance to Kyiv.—
Susie Blann,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
But one of the issues in the debate is that House Speaker Matt Ritter of Hartford — a key budget negotiator — has called for making highly visible tax relief that could come in the form of direct payments.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
18 Feb. 2025
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Before pursuing an eviction, CHA works with residents who are behind on rent by setting up payment plans, referring them to financial counseling and nonprofit legal services and searching for rental assistance funds, the authority said.—
Lizzie Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
That’s substantial, and pitch-framing skills have never played a bigger role in how catchers are evaluated — and, ultimately, compensated — by the Minnesota Twins and other teams.—
Aaron Gleeman,
The Athletic,
24 Feb. 2025
-
Families were just large enough to compensate for the fact that nearly half of all babies born would never celebrate their fifth birthday.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
The New Yorker,
24 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
That’s the gameplan, and nobody pays better interest than the Lord.—
Scott Thompson,
Fox News,
26 Feb. 2025
-
The resort also pays for the catch the fishermen willing to sell them.—
Emese Maczko,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Four employees at the Federal Emergency Management Agency — its chief financial officer, two program analysts and a grant specialist — were fired Feb. 11 over payments to reimburse New York City for hotel costs for migrants.—
Meg Kinnard,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2025
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Navan Headquarters: Palo Alto, California. Travel and expense software company Navan offers a corporate card and an expense management app that reimburses employees' out-of-pocket business travel within 24 to 48 hours.—
Brandon Kochkodin,
Forbes,
18 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
When Trump claimed Europe was being repaid for 60% of its contributions to Kyiv, Macron interjected, clarifying that Europe had covered 60% of the total aid effort through loans, guarantees, and grants.—
Hannah Parry,
Newsweek,
25 Feb. 2025
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The $242 million in bonds floated by Johnson’s team would either be repaid with 4.37% interest in five years or 4.6% interest in 10 years.—
Nell Salzman,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Since then, Ukraine has tried to gain international support for its own 10-point Peace Formula, which demands a full withdrawal of Russian forces, the prosecution of war crimes and the payment of reparations.—
Matthew Mpoke Bigg,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2025
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Meanwhile, the same debates accompanying discussions of slavery reparations in greater society permeate the order as well: Some feel a moral urgency while others criticize the effort as unfairly burdening the entities of today or suggesting the order’s ongoing work with the poor should suffice.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA TODAY,
17 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Recompense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recompense. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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