refund
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to give back or restore (especially money); repay.
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to make repayment to; reimburse.
verb (used without object)
noun
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an act or instance of refunding.
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an amount refunded.
verb (used with object)
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to fund anew.
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Finance.
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to meet (a matured debt structure) by new borrowing, especially through issuance of bonds.
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to replace (an old issue) with a new one.
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verb
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to give back (money), as when an article purchased is unsatisfactory
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to reimburse (a person)
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of refund1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb refunden “to export, transmit,” from Old French refonder, refunder “to reimburse” and Latin refundere “to pour back,” equivalent to re- re- + fundere “to pour”; see found 3
Origin of refund2
Explanation
To refund is to give money back, especially when someone isn't satisfied with an item they bought or the service they got. If you complain that your restaurant food is undercooked, the manager may refund your money. When you don't actually get what you paid for, you deserve a refund, or a repayment of the money you spent. Most businesses will refund money to unhappy customers, and when you return something — like a pair of pants that doesn't fit — you'll also get a refund. The verb came before the noun, and it originally meant "to pour back," from the Latin root fundere, "to pour."
Vocabulary lists containing refund
Tax Day Words
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Exemptions, Deductions, and Loopholes: Tax Day Vocabulary
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for May 15–May 21, 2021
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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.
Southampton had already sold tickets for Saturday's game, and their supporters will receive a full refund.
From BBC • May 19, 2026
The city promised to refund businesses that obtained special licenses and health permits to participate in the event, and referred questions about ticket refunds and vendor participation fees to Long Beach Pride.
From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2026
The system will monitor conditions continuously, rerouting, rebooking and adjusting everything so that the traveler never has to make a call or chase a refund.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
April was also a month when many consumers were receiving larger-than-usual tax refunds — or figuring out how to use refund money they received earlier in the filing season.
From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026
It was too late to get a refund anyway, and besides, he didn’t want Dimple Shah to think he’d come all this way simply for her.
From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon
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.
