repay

/riˈpeɪ/

/riˈpeɪ/

Other forms: repaid; repaying; repays

When you give someone money that you owe them, you repay them. A bank may loan you money to buy a new car, but you'll have to repay the money, plus interest.

You might repay a bank loan, or repay your brother the dollar you borrowed last week. You can also repay things other than money: "How will I ever repay your kindness and support?" Repay comes from the French repaier, with its "back" prefix re- and payer, "to pay."

Definitions of repay

1. verb

   pay back
   synonyms: give back, refund, return

   types:

   reimburse

   pay back for some expense incurred

   restitute, restore

   give or bring back

   type of:

   pay

   give money, usually in exchange for goods or services
2. verb

   make repayment for or return something
   synonyms: requite

   types:

   pay

   make a compensation for

   type of:

   give

   transfer possession of something concrete or abstract to somebody
3. verb

   act or give recompense in recognition of someone's behavior or actions
   synonyms: pay back, reward

   type of:

   act, move

   perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
4. verb

   answer back
   synonyms: come back, rejoin, retort, return, riposte

   type of:

   answer, reply, respond

   react verbally