indemnify

American  

[in-dem-nuh-fahy] / ɪnˈdɛm nəˌfaɪ /

verb (used with object)

• indemnifies,
  present (3rd person singular)
• indemnified,
  past participle,  past
• indemnifying
  present participle

1. to compensate for damage or loss sustained, expense incurred, etc.

   Synonyms:

   repay, reimburse, recompense

2. to guard or secure against anticipated loss; give security against (future damage or liability).

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indemnify British  

/ ɪnˈdɛmnɪˌfaɪ /

verb

1. to secure against future loss, damage, or liability; give security for; insure

2. to compensate for loss, injury, expense, etc; reimburse

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Usage

What does indemnify mean? To indemnify is to insure someone against potential damages or loss or to compensate someone for damages or money spent. Insurance coverage indemnifies a person by insuring them for certain potential situations, such as damages to their property from natural disasters or accidents. Indemnify is commonly used in legal contracts to secure protection against being sued or held responsible for an accident. The noun form of indemnify is indemnity, which refers to such protection and is often used in phrases like indemnity clause. Example: The whole purpose of car insurance is to indemnify you in case you get into an accident—buying insurance after an accident happens won’t cover you.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• indemnification
  noun
• indemnifier
  noun
• preindemnify
  verb (used with object)
• unindemnified
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• indemnifying
  present
• indemnified
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• indemnify
  simple
• indemnifies
  simple
• have indemnified
  perfect
• has indemnified
  perfect
• am indemnifying
  progressive
• are indemnifying
  progressive
• is indemnifying
  progressive
• have been indemnifying
  perfect progressive
• has been indemnifying
  perfect progressive

Past

• indemnified
  simple
• had indemnified
  perfect
• was indemnifying
  progressive
• were indemnifying
  progressive
• had been indemnifying
  perfect progressive

Future

• will indemnify
  simple
• will have indemnified
  perfect
• will be indemnifying
  progressive
• will have been indemnifying
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of indemnify

First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin indemni(s) “without loss” ( see indemnity) + -fy

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Explanation

To pay compensation for a loss, damages, or similar expense is to indemnify. "The insurance company indemnified its customers for their claims after the severe storm — one customer lost three cars, a row boat, and a golf cart." The verb indemnify also means to secure against future loss. The farmers bought insurance to indemnify themselves and their animals against catastrophic loss. The word indemnify comes from the Latin word indemnis, which means "to unhurt." The city wanted to shut down an old local landmark because they were afraid it no longer met modern safety standards, but local citizens wanted it to remain. In a compromise, the owners agreed to indemnify the city against possible loss and the landmark was allowed to remain.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

indemnify indemnifies indemnified indemnifying

Pejman Javaheri, managing partner at Juris Law Group, noted that consumer packaged-goods manufacturers have to indemnify the retailer against any product issues arise with the private-label goods.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

Earlier this month, Mr Jeffries sued A&F after it refused to pay his criminal defence costs, arguing the brand had agreed to indemnify him for all claims arising out of his position.

From BBC ● Dec. 24, 2024

What you end up doing with that knowledge, we hereby indemnify ourselves of, formally.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 14, 2024

The contractor agreed to indemnify the city, which didn’t directly contribute to the settlement sum, and Synagro.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 13, 2024

At the Academy, we’d found out that this phrase was basically a legal requirement that you shouted out to indemnify yourself when you were, for whatever reason, applying a bit of extra force.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

The settlement indemnifies Uber from future disability claims concerning its wait fee system — but it’s far from the only disability claim facing the company.

From The Verge ● Jul. 18, 2022

Cast insurance is common on Hollywood productions and indemnifies producers for any losses or extra expenses to complete principal photography due to the death, injury or illness of any insured artist or director.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2021

“Section 230” is a reference to a 1996 federal law that broadly indemnifies tech platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Google for the actions of their users.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 29, 2020

Worst of all, the settlement completely indemnifies the company and its leaders for “any and all claims prior to June 12, 2019.”

From The Guardian ● Jul. 26, 2019

She is," continued Mr. Stanley, "charitable with her purse, but not with her tongue; she relieves her poor neighbors, and indemnifies herself by slandering her rich ones.

From Coelebs In Search of a Wife by Hannah More

That person said team owners don’t know how insistent Snyder will be about being indemnified against legal liabilities and costs, either by a prospective buyer or by the NFL and the other owners.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 24, 2023

Britain's finance ministry said on Wednesday Bank of England intervention in the government bond market was needed to tackle "significant volatility" and market dysfunction, and any losses would be fully indemnified by the government.

From Reuters ● Sep. 28, 2022

It added that the plan would be fully indemnified by the Treasury and that the purchases would be "time limited".

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2022

Of Kerouac’s sad, sodden later years, he writes: “From the time that Kerouac completed ‘On the Road,’ he was indemnified against ever making — or having made — a serious mistake in his life.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 28, 2022

Moonlighter made a vigorous but frustrated effort to buck, and indemnified himself by a successful kick at a hound.

From Some Experiences of an Irish R.M. by Martin Ross

The archdiocese “has obligations to some of those individuals which may include indemnifying legal fees for representation,” Archbishop William Lori said in a Nov. 22 statement.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 6, 2022

The fund covers all users of South African roads against injuries sustained or death in motor vehicle accidents, indemnifying those who cause the accident, as well as providing personal injury and death insurance to victims.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2020

There are aspects of urban exploration that leave me deeply uneasy, and that cannot be fended off by indemnifying gestures of self-awareness on the part of its practitioners.

From The New Yorker ● May 23, 2019

The difficulties arise often because the agreements people sign are purposely vague and there is indemnifying language in the fine print, according to Domenic Romano, another entertainment lawyer.

From New York Times ● Aug. 20, 2018

Shakespeare consequently joined with his fellow-owner Greene in obtaining from Combe’s agent Replingham in October 1614 a deed indemnifying both against any injury they might suffer from the enclosure. 

From A Life of William Shakespeare with portraits and facsimiles by Sir Sidney Lee

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