reap

American  

[reep] / rip /

verb (used with object)

1. to cut (wheat, rye, etc.) with a sickle or other implement or a machine, as in harvest.

2. to gather or take (a crop, harvest, etc.).

3. to get as a return, recompense, or result.

   to reap large profits.

   Synonyms:

   win, gain, realize, earn, gather

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verb (used without object)

1. to reap a crop, harvest, etc.

reap British  

/ riːp /

verb

1. to cut or harvest (a crop), esp corn, from (a field or tract of land)

2. (tr) to gain or get (something) as a reward for or result of some action or enterprise

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Other Word Forms

• reapable adjective
• unreaped adjective

Etymology

Origin of reap

before 900; Middle English repen, Old English repan, riopan; cognate with Middle Low German repen to ripple (flax); akin to ripe

Explanation

When you reap something, you enjoy the rewards of your efforts. When your great audition gets you cast in your dream role, you reap the benefits of all that rehearsing you did. Reap can also describe the act of harvesting crops. The farmer will then sell the crop, reaping a profit. Here, reap means the same as gain. You may have heard the expression "what you reap is what you sow," which comes from the New Testament and can apply to farming and everything else — if, for example, you are patient with other people, they in turn will be patient with you.

Example Sentences

In a concentrated market with just a few large players, Western Digital and Seagate will stand to reap the rewards.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

But the significance of these cases runs deeper: They threaten the legal architecture that has allowed Big Tech to reap trillions of dollars in profits with little risk of consequence in court.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

CoolIT’s employees are set to reap the rewards, too.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

As Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes put it, "AI is happening" - and we can "reap benefits or allow it to disrupt our lives".

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

Such a mission would reap enormous scientific benefits, even if there is no life on Mars.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Related Words

• bring in
• derive
• gain
• garner
• obtain
• produce
• realize
• receive
• recover
• take in