indemnify
Americanverb (used with object)
-
indemnifies,
present (3rd person singular)
-
indemnified,
past participle, past
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indemnifying
present participle
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to compensate for damage or loss sustained, expense incurred, etc.
- Synonyms:
- repay, reimburse, recompense
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to guard or secure against anticipated loss; give security against (future damage or liability).
verb
-
to secure against future loss, damage, or liability; give security for; insure
-
to compensate for loss, injury, expense, etc; reimburse
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
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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indemnifysimple
-
indemnifiessimple
-
have indemnifiedperfect
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has indemnifiedperfect
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am indemnifyingprogressive
-
are indemnifyingprogressive
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is indemnifyingprogressive
-
have been indemnifyingperfect progressive
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has been indemnifyingperfect progressive
Past
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indemnifiedsimple
-
had indemnifiedperfect
-
was indemnifyingprogressive
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were indemnifyingprogressive
-
had been indemnifyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of indemnify
First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin indemni(s) “without loss” ( see indemnity) + -fy
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.
Vocabulary lists containing indemnify
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress
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30 GRE Words Beginning with "I"
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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:
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
And yes, there were precautions administrators took to indemnify themselves against all eventualities.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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
“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
The fund indemnifies drivers and compensates victims in road traffic accidents but strictly caps compensation for medical expenses and limits payouts for loss of earnings at 9% of Jackson’s annual income, according to court filings.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 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
Yes, that was it: he had assumed the black cap, that decent symbol which indemnifies the taker of a life; and might the Lord have mercy on my soul...
From Yet Again by Sir Max Beerbohm
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
The government also indemnified the doctors who administer the shot against lawsuits.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 1, 2021
For his losses by the last enterprise the king indemnified him, and he died in retirement in 1570.
From The New Gresham Encyclopedia. Vol. 1 Part 3 Atrebates to Bedlis by Various
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 California Assisted Living Assn. joined other healthcare groups in an April 9 letter urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign an executive order indemnifying facilities.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 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
He recommends indemnifying the companies that might provide experimental Ebola treatments, which would protect them from lawsuits brought on behalf of patients who suffer side effects.
From Nature ● Aug. 11, 2014
Of course I shall insist on paying his salary whilst I employ him, and indemnifying him for anything he may suffer in my service—that of the W.S.P.U.
From Mrs. Warren's Daughter A Story of the Woman's Movement by Sir Harry Hamilton Johnston
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
