pay implies the discharge of an obligation incurred.
paid their bills
compensate implies a making up for services rendered.
an attorney well compensated for her services
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
satisfy implies paying a person what is required by law.
all creditors will be satisfied in full
reimburse implies a return of money that has been spent for another's benefit.
reimbursed employees for expenses
indemnify implies making good a loss suffered through accident, disaster, warfare.
indemnified the families of the dead miners
repay stresses paying back an equivalent in kind or amount.
repay a favor with a favor
recompense suggests due return in amends, friendly repayment, or reward.
passengers were recompensed for the delay
Examples of compensate in a Sentence
His enthusiasm compensates for his lack of skill.
The price of the item has been reduced to compensate for a defect. compensate workers for their labor
She was not compensated for the damage done to her car.
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Writers will be compensated for their participation.—👁 Image Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 1 Apr. 2026 Another way to look at it is the Heat have well compensated Bam for the challenge ahead with the three-year, $166 million extension that kicks in next season.—👁 Image Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026 But where other comics might lean on quantity as a crutch to compensate for quality, Kashian genuinely just has this much to say.—👁 Image Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026 Even Sorokin could not compensate against the Penguins, who got solid goaltending from Arturs Silovs.—👁 Image CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for compensate
Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Latin compensātus, past participle of compensāre "to balance, make good, counterbalance, make up for," from com-com- + pensāre "to weigh, weigh out, treat as a setoff (against a debt), exchange, counterbalance," iterative of pendere "to weigh, have a weight of, pay (out), estimate, consider" — more at pendent
