repay
Americanverb (used with object)
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repays,
present (3rd person singular)
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repaid,
past participle, past
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repaying
present participle
verb (used without object)
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repays,
present (3rd person singular)
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repaid,
past participle, past
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repaying
present participle
verb
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to pay back (money) to (a person); refund or reimburse
-
to make a return for (something) by way of compensation
to repay kindness
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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repayabilitynoun
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repaymentnoun
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nonrepayableadjective
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nonrepayingadjective
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repayableadjective
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unrepaidadjective
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unrepayableadjective
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well-repaidadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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repaysimple
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repayssimple
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have repaidperfect
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has repaidperfect
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am repayingprogressive
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are repayingprogressive
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is repayingprogressive
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have been repayingperfect progressive
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has been repayingperfect progressive
Past
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repaidsimple
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had repaidperfect
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was repayingprogressive
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were repayingprogressive
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had been repayingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of repay
From the Middle French word repaier, dating back to 1520–30. See re-, pay 1
Explanation
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."
Vocabulary lists containing repay
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The documents showed that the company had discovered a “theft of funds” in April 2006 and the former mayor agreed to repay $110,834.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026
Has she agreed to a plan to repay him?
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026
Oracle has said its board governance committee reviews Ellison’s pledging arrangements quarterly, and that it has determined he can repay his personal loans without having to sell pledged shares.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
To repay Bono, would you care to spill any of his personal business?
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
“I will never be able to repay the kindness you have shown us.”
From "The Night Diary" by Veera Hiranandani
Pyburn, who also went undrafted after playing three years at Florida and his senior year at LSU, can regain his college eligibility if he terminates his contract with the Bucs and repays earnings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
Though the diary entry concedes that Mansfield was “so intelligent & inscrutable that she repays friendship,” the two women wouldn’t become friends.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
The money is typically issued within three days, and the platform repays itself by withholding those wages from the user’s next paycheck.
From Salon ● Jan. 17, 2025
On payday, the user repays the money out of their wages.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 23, 2024
See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
The investors are repaid with the interest paid on the loans.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026
In a subsequent phone call, he repeated that he would not pursue an untruthful claim and said he would arrange for the £250 down payment to be repaid.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
I tend to be the friend who covers the tab in the moment and then waits to get repaid, even though I’m not always the one who makes the most money.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
Some of the recent data-center bonds are designed to repay their principal within the life of the lease, so that investors don’t have to worry about getting another, future tenant to be fully repaid.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
But if he’s right, and I think he is, I owe the others a debt that can only be repaid in one way.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
Companies deemed a greater risk of not repaying their debts have been punished in October.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 31, 2026
Wynn Las Vegas sued him in 2017 for allegedly not repaying $550,000 of credit and a Nevada court issued a default judgment for the casino company.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
If the nonprofit LA28 spends more than it takes in, Los Angeles will be responsible for repaying the first $270 million in debts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
Tata Sons sought to get out of this classification by repaying their debt and arguing that they do not borrow directly from the public markets.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
“I’m repaying you. You saved my life. Let’s call it even.”
From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce
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