redeem
Americanverb (used with object)
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redeems,
present (3rd person singular)
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redeemed,
past participle, past
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redeeming
present participle
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to make up for; make amends for; offset (some fault, shortcoming, etc.).
His bravery redeemed his youthful idleness.
- Synonyms:
- compensate, counterbalance
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to exchange (bonds, trading stamps, coupons, points, etc.) for money or goods.
I redeemed 25,000 points for a free night’s stay at the hotel.
This coupon can be redeemed at any grocery store.
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to buy or pay off; clear by payment.
to redeem a mortgage.
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to buy back, as after a tax sale or a mortgage foreclosure.
- Synonyms:
- repurchase, regain, reclaim
-
to recover (something pledged or mortgaged) by payment or other satisfaction.
to redeem a pawned watch.
- Synonyms:
- repurchase, regain, reclaim
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to obtain the release or restoration of, such as from captivity, by paying a ransom.
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Christianity. to deliver from sin and its consequences by means of a sacrifice offered for the sinner.
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to convert (paper money) into coins.
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to discharge or fulfill (a pledge, promise, etc.).
verb
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to recover possession or ownership of by payment of a price or service; regain
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to convert (bonds, shares, etc) into cash
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to pay off (a promissory note, loan, etc)
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to recover (something pledged, mortgaged, or pawned)
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to convert (paper money) into bullion or specie
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to fulfil (a promise, pledge, etc)
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to exchange (trading stamps, coupons, etc) for goods
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to reinstate in someone's estimation or good opinion; restore to favour
he redeemed himself by his altruistic action
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to make amends for
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to recover from captivity, esp by a money payment
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Christianity (of Christ as Saviour) to free (mankind) from sin by his death on the Cross
Synonym Usage
Redeem, ransom both mean to buy back. Redeem is wider in its application than ransom, and means to buy back, regain possession of, or exchange for money, goods, etc.: to redeem one's property. To ransom is to redeem a person from captivity by paying a stipulated price, or to redeem from sin by sacrifice: to ransom a kidnapped child.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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redeemsimple
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redeemssimple
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have redeemedperfect
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has redeemedperfect
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am redeemingprogressive
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are redeemingprogressive
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is redeemingprogressive
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have been redeemingperfect progressive
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has been redeemingperfect progressive
Past
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redeemedsimple
-
had redeemedperfect
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was redeemingprogressive
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were redeemingprogressive
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had been redeemingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of redeem
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English redemen, from Middle French redimer, from Latin redimere, equivalent to red- red- + -imere, combining form of emere “to purchase” ( cf. emptor, ransom)
Explanation
If you redeem yourself, you make up for wrongs by doing something that makes you seem good again, like when after being irritable and snappy with your grandmother, you redeem yourself by bringing her flowers and apologizing. Redeem comes from the French rédimer, which means "to deliver," and which in turn comes from the Latin for "buy back." In Christianity you can be redeemed by renouncing your sins. Classic heroes fail and then redeem themselves with valiant acts. But redeem doesn't have to be religious or moral. When you turn in a glass bottle for recycling, you redeem it, just as you redeem your coupon for 20% off your next hamburger.
Vocabulary lists containing redeem
List 1
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Hamilton
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"Ad Power," "Without Commercials," and "What's Wrong with Advertising"
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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:
She added it was "far too soon for him to try and redeem himself".
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
I didn’t realize that optimizing my travel points meant picking up a new hobby: constantly comparing prices on travel portals, which is where you redeem your credit-card points for plane tickets, hotels and experiences.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
Play as Superman’s cousin, Kara Zor-El, while the game’s credits roll, zapping the names of developers with her laser vision as they scroll past to score extra points you can redeem in the SuperShop.
From Salon ● Jun. 27, 2026
It also depended on such factors as whether the borrower had the right to redeem the bonds early and whether there were better opportunities for the investor in other markets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
"All the more cause to fret. An I say them wrong, I'll ha' no chance to redeem meself."
From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood
That means that the amount it redeems on June 10 may be less than $30.52 million.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 2, 2026
But it’s Noble’s luminous way with Shakespeare, supported by an inspired company of redoubtable actresses, that redeems this production.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2026
Under these arrangements, companies or brokers buy forest land to preserve it, so that by absorbing carbon from the atmosphere the land redeems or "offsets" the planet-warming emissions produced by firms' other activities.
From Barron's ● Feb. 26, 2026
Just when this thing seems dead, though, the movie picks up considerably, and the much-better second half nearly redeems it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 18, 2025
Between these personified principles, he placed his Mithra, who, as the source of genial heat and life, annually redeems the human race from the power of evil or cold and darkness.*
From Religion In The Heavens Or, Mythology Unveiled in a Series of Lectures by Logan Mitchell
In that way, I feel creatively redeemed on some level, just in my own journey between me, myself and I. But I feel ready to move on from the ‘Blade’ questions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
The famous Buddhist Angulimala Sutta tells a story of a serial killer who is redeemed by the Buddha and becomes a righteous monk.
From Slate ● Jul. 10, 2026
Open Standard said the new token can be minted and redeemed at no cost and earnings from Open USD’s reserves will be split among the coin’s adopters after covering operational costs.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
Online retailers selling the physical edition have stated that, as with other digital game codes, the one being offered for GTA 6 is single-use and will become invalid after it is redeemed.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
“At the end, he’s sorry. He’s just really, really sorry about everything, and that’s enough. Everyone forgives him. Shakespeare lets Leontes be redeemed even though he did all that evil stuff.”
From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart
Arnott said he suspects that “buybacks tend to ramp up when management is redeeming stock options, arguably to help facilitate the redemptions.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026
Gift card redemptions for fuel retailers are rising, the company said, and from January to March, Fetch saw a 20% lift in consumers redeeming fuel-related offers in the app.
From Barron's ● May 13, 2026
Beyond that, the invaluable learning he so selflessly offered countless young artists at New World will ensure that his faith in orchestral music’s redeeming powers echoes for decades to come.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026
The character doesn’t need any redeeming qualities for this particular film to remain entertaining.
From Salon ● Apr. 5, 2026
Arguing for any redeeming quality in the people who had committed it was a kind of rank treason.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
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.
