refund

¹ American  

[ri-fuhnd, ree-fuhnd, ree-fuhnd] / rɪˈfʌnd, ˈri fʌnd, ˈri fʌnd /

verb (used with object)

1. to give back or restore (especially money); repay.

2. to make repayment to; reimburse.

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verb (used without object)

1. to make repayment.

noun

• refunds
  plural

1. an act or instance of refunding.

2. an amount refunded.

refund ² American  

[ree-fuhnd] / riˈfʌnd /

verb (used with object)

1. to fund anew.

2. Finance.

   1. to meet (a matured debt structure) by new borrowing, especially through issuance of bonds.

   2. to replace (an old issue) with a new one.

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refund British  

verb

1. to give back (money), as when an article purchased is unsatisfactory

2. to reimburse (a person)

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noun

1. return of money to a purchaser or the amount so returned

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonrefundability
  noun
• refundability
  noun
• refunder
  noun
• refundment
  noun
• nonrefundable
  adjective
• refundable
  adjective
• unrefundable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• refunds
  plural

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

First recorded in 1855–60; re- + fund

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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

refund refunds

Producers will also be able to collect their refund money more quickly — within two years instead of five.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026

When he failed to provide the earrings by her deadline, he promised a refund.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026

But Tractor Supply expects freight costs to remain elevated as tariff refund benefits fade in the second half of the year, which executives expect will pressure its gross margin in its third and fourth quarters.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

The Maryland court ordered that the state refund the tax the three companies paid since the law went into effect, plus interest.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 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

Tractor Supply is using tariff refunds to absorb rising freight and fuel costs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

E.l.f., which has received roughly $50 million in refunds so far, cut prices on about 10% of its lineup.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

Many companies are using the cash infusions to offset higher expenses and protect their margins—but some are going a step farther, using their refunds to woo customers and gain market share.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

Amazon settled the case for $2.5bn, including civil penalties and consumer refunds.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

How many make refunds to the people they’ve harmed?

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

Related Words

• allowance
• compensation
• discount
• kickback
• payment
• rebate
• reimbursement
• repayment
• restitution