compensate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to recompense for something.
They gave him ten dollars to compensate him for his trouble.
- Synonyms:
- pay, reward, remunerate
-
to counterbalance; offset; be equivalent to.
He compensated his homely appearance with great personal charm.
- Synonyms:
- countervail, counterpoise
-
Mechanics. to counterbalance (a force or the like); adjust or construct so as to offset or counterbalance variations or produce equilibrium.
-
to change the gold content of (a monetary unit) to counterbalance price fluctuations and thereby stabilize its purchasing power.
verb (used without object)
-
to provide or be an equivalent; make up; make amends (usually followed byfor ).
His occasional courtesies did not compensate for his general rudeness.
- Synonyms:
- atone
-
Psychology. to develop or employ mechanisms of compensation.
verb
-
to make amends to (someone), esp for loss or injury
-
(tr) to serve as compensation or damages for (injury, loss, etc)
-
to offset or counterbalance the effects of (a force, weight, movement, etc) so as to nullify the effects of an undesirable influence and produce equilibrium
-
(intr) to attempt to conceal or offset one's shortcomings by the exaggerated exhibition of qualities regarded as desirable
Other Word Forms
- compensatingly adverb
- compensator noun
- compensatory adjective
- noncompensated adjective
- noncompensating adjective
- precompensate verb (used with object)
- recompensate verb (used with object)
- subcompensate verb (used with object)
- uncompensated adjective
- uncompensating adjective
- well-compensated adjective
Etymology
Origin of compensate
First recorded in 1640–50, compensate is from the Latin word compēnsātus (past participle of compēnsāre to counterbalance, originally, to weigh together). See com-, pensive, -ate 1
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.
"This pattern suggests the brain may be reorganizing itself, essentially rejuvenating undamaged networks to compensate for lost function."
From Science Daily
But prosecutors told the judge that both could be true: Jeffries has already had $11m in cash seized by the US government and if found guilty, may be ordered to compensate victims.
From BBC
Fortune is among the publishers Perplexity compensates for the use of its content.
In other words, the Fed would offer less support to the bond market by holding fewer securities, but compensate by moving its benchmark federal-funds rate lower.
From Barron's
School districts and more than 40 state Attorneys General have also sued for damages to compensate for social problems allegedly caused by the platforms.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
