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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of recompense
Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 11 May 2025
During a recent sit-down with Willie D, the rapper spoke his mind about dating, social media and the backlash he’s received, and most importantly, to him, whether the ancestors of America’s enslaved people are owed recompense.
—Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 3 Sep. 2019
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
Then, of course, the people who understood the brand left and people came in who saw only the recompense of taking money.
—Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 11 May 2025
During a recent sit-down with Willie D, the rapper spoke his mind about dating, social media and the backlash he’s received, and most importantly, to him, whether the ancestors of America’s enslaved people are owed recompense.
—Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 3 Sep. 2019
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
-
Clear, straightforward compensation tied to real outcomes builds trust and keeps teams focused on what actually drives growth.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
-
The compensation failed to account for the lifetime of income and family wealth his land provided.—
Willem Marx,
NPR,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
In the four years since NIL payments began in 2021, collectives affiliated with specific schools have made hundreds of millions in deals with athletes just like those the CSC described in its examples.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
-
More: Car buyers set a record with more than $1,000-a-month car payments in Q2 Jamie L. LaReau is the senior autos writer who covers Ford Motor Co. for the Detroit Free Press.—
Jamie L. LaReau,
Freep.com,
12 July 2025
Verb
-
Despite some backsliding, the EU still holds to its goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, by cutting greenhouse gases and compensating for any remaining emissions.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
4 July 2025
-
In heavy rain, allow an additional two seconds of distance to compensate for reduced traction and braking effectiveness.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
3 July 2025
Verb
-
Nobody complains about the way the health care industry forces us to pay high prices for low-quality service.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
8 July 2025
-
That payment was bumped to $2 million when Blitzer took over; NWSL prices were already on the rise, and that was in line with what Angel City and the San Diego Wave paid when they were awarded teams in 2020 and 2021.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
8 July 2025
Verb
-
The program was previously designed for large businesses, and they were allowed to get one-quarter of their expenses reimbursed, up to $125,000.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
13 July 2025
-
The company proposed spending nearly $500 million upfront on neighborhood infrastructure before getting reimbursed from a city tax increment financing district.—
Brian J. Rogal,
Chicago Tribune,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
Borrowers must typically repay their loans under an IDR plan while working in qualifying nonprofit or government employment on a full-time basis to receive PSLF credit toward loan forgiveness.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
-
The new agreement, which Fairfield City Council approved March 10, would repay most of that balance to the district, with $300,000 each coming from the city of Fairfield, Cincinnati Holding and Hillwood.—
Victoria Moorwood,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
The legislation would create a commission to study reparations and develop proposals.—
Deborah Barfield Berry,
USA Today,
20 June 2025
-
Several states and cities have established reparations commissions to study and recommend ways to address the legacy of slavery and its continuing impact on Black communities.—
Willie Wilson,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Recompense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recompense. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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