owe
verb (used with object)
to be under obligation to pay or repay.
have owed
-
present perfectof owe.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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.
"I had worked out how much I would have owed in old pennies as a couple of hundred pounds," he explained.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
The estimated cash payout that fast-fashion giant Shein would have owed early investors if it hadn’t sold shares by the end of the year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
If Aley had applied those standards to her project, rather than relying on the arborist’s recommendation, she would have owed the state about $22,109, she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2025
About a third of seniors have owed money for care, the poll found.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 20, 2022
Nay, nay, let Fortune when she will my doom decree; I glory still that kings have owed their lives to me.
From Studies in the Poetry of Italy, I. Roman by Frank Justus Miller
