restitution

American  

[res-ti-too-shuhn, -tyoo-] / ˌrɛs tɪˈtu ʃən, -ˈtju- /

noun

• restitutions
  plural

1. reparation made by giving an equivalent or compensation for loss, damage, or injury caused; indemnification.

   Synonyms:

   repayment, satisfaction, requital, compensation, amends, recompense

2. the restoration of property or rights previously taken away, conveyed, or surrendered.

3. restoration to the former or original state or position.

4. Physics. the return to an original physical condition, especially after elastic deformation.

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restitution British  

/ ˌrɛstɪˈtjuːʃən /

noun

1. the act of giving back something that has been lost or stolen

2. law the act of compensating for loss or injury by reverting as far as possible to the position before such injury occurred

3. the return of an object or system to its original state, esp a restoration of shape after elastic deformation

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Usage

What does restitution mean? Restitution is payment or some other form of compensation that is given to make up for loss, damage, or injury that has been caused. Restitution can also refer to the act or process of compensating someone in this way. The point of restitution is to return what has been lost or stolen or to repair the damage or injury that has been done so that things can be returned to how they originally were or as close as possible. The word is especially used in a legal context to refer to compensation that is required by someone who has caused loss, damage, or injury as part of a crime. Restitution often involves monetary payments, but it can involve other forms of compensation. Example: The defendant was ordered to pay $1 million dollars in restitution to compensate for injuries and property damage. 

Synonym Usage

See redress.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonrestitution
  noun
• restitutive
  adjective
• restitutory
  adjective
• unrestitutive
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• restitutions
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of restitution

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English restitucioun, from Old French restitution, restitucion, from Latin restitūtiōn- (stem of restitūtiō ) “a rebuilding, restoration,” equivalent to restitūt(us) + -iōn-. See restitute, -ion

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Explanation

Restitution is the act of making up for damages or harm. Remember the time you knocked the ball out of the park, scoring a home run but breaking a house's window in the process? You had to make restitution for the broken window, paying for its replacement. The noun restitution means both "restoring something to its original state" and "returning something to its rightful owner," like a public apology that leads to the restitution of a person's honor and reputation. Restitution also has a specific legal meaning — an order given by a judge to a convicted criminal to make amends for the crime. For example, judges often order people to pay restitution for the damage they cause.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

restitution restitutions

He apparently demanded profit participation in Fielder’s documentary without telling Holmes, who says she has a negative net worth due to restitution requirements.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

David Rush, 49, is required to pay restitution to the government and forfeit luxury real estate, cars, watches and other assets tied to his crime as part of the plea deal.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

The plea agreements call for the brothers to pay at least $581,616 in restitution for tax losses that include years before the tee-time business began.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026

This let numerous defendants out of jail but kept them on the hook for nearly $3 billion in fines and restitution.

From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026

Mr. Davis confirms that I paid my restitution in full.

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz

"It must be ensured that there is also a state-of-the-art procedure for future private restitutions."

From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2024

Under the court settlement, precious metals dealer Argent Asset Group and First State Depository Company, which were both owned by Mr Higgins, were ordered to make restitutions of $112.7m and pay a penalty of $33m.

From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2023

It has also undertaken two high-profile restitutions from its colonial past: In 2005, Italy returned to Ethiopia the massive, 160-ton Axum Obelisk, which Mussolini ordered sent to Rome in 1937 after his troops overran Ethiopia.

From Seattle Times ● May 9, 2023

Hicks, who spoke alongside Osanna at the restitution conference, has argued that anthropological museums today must now become the public spaces to debate problematic collections, while permitting also case-by-case restitutions.

From Seattle Times ● May 9, 2023

From these restitutions he gave pensions to whomsoever he wished, and took such part as he chose for his own house.

From The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 08 of 55 1591-1593 Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century by James Alexander Robertson

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Related Words

• indemnity
• payment
• rebate
• redress
• refund
• reimbursement
• reparation
• restoration

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