compensatory

American  

[kuhm-pen-suh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] / kəmˈpɛn səˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i /

Also compensative

adjective

1. serving to compensate, as for loss, lack, or injury.

2. countercyclical.

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Other Word Forms

• noncompensative
  adjective
• noncompensatory
  adjective
• recompensatory
  adjective
• subcompensative
  adjective
• subcompensatory
  adjective
• uncompensative
  adjective
• uncompensatory
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of compensatory

First recorded in 1595–1605; compensate + -ory ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

compensatory

At a low dose, the drug primarily works by reducing several harmful compensatory responses that occur when the heart is struggling.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026

Said is seeking compensatory and punitive damages along with her attorneys’ fees.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

When one Indiana walking club formerly using the hot-girl designation rebranded as “Hotwalk Indy,” Lind filed for compensatory damages.

From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026

Yet North Carolina, which doesn’t limit the amount of compensatory damages that can be awarded, remains the most aggressive battleground.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026

I do this sometimes as a compensatory tactic.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides