Synonyms

reap

American

[reep] / rip /

verb (used with object)

to cut (wheat, rye, etc.) with a sickle or other implement or a machine, as in harvest.
to gather or take (a crop, harvest, etc.).
to get as a return, recompense, or result.

to reap large profits.

Synonyms:

win, gain, realize, earn, gather

verb (used without object)

to reap a crop, harvest, etc.

reap British

/ riːp /

verb

to cut or harvest (a crop), esp corn, from (a field or tract of land)
(tr) to gain or get (something) as a reward for or result of some action or enterprise

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

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.

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Vocabulary lists containing reap

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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.

SpaceX is such a cult holding that he knows that at the first hint that he was selling or pledging his shares, he would reap the whirlwind.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026

“Michigan secured a great deal on the financing of this bridge: we haven’t paid a dime, yet we will reap significant economic benefits for decades,” the spokeswoman said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

"As a Buddhist, I was taught to only do good deeds and good things, right? It's like karma, as the saying goes, 'you reap what you sow,'" she said.

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

This can only happen, the Fringe leaders said, if Angelenos donate generously to arts funding — and reap the benefits by supporting subjects they’re interested in.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

"Kindness today, this very hour—give generously to those who are not your family, and your generosity will reap a reward more magnificent than you can dream!"

From "Born Behind Bars" by Padma Venkatraman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023