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Synonyms

reimbursement

American  
[ree-im-burs-muhnt] / ˌri ɪmˈbɜrs mənt /

noun

  • reimbursements
    plural
  1. repayment for an expense or loss incurred.

    Visitors will receive reimbursement for travel and housing expenses.


Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of reimbursement

reimburse ( def. ) + -ment ( def. )

Explanation

A reimbursement is a repayment for money you've already spent. When you travel for work, you get a reimbursement for your work-related expenses, like hotel bills and plane tickets, but you'll have to pay for that trip to the circus yourself. Reimbursement comes from the Latin root words re, meaning again; in, meaning into; and bursa, meaning purse. So the word reimbursement literally means in a purse again. After your parents' basement flooded, they paid to repair the damage and then got a reimbursement from the insurance company, so that they could put the money they spent in their purse again.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing reimbursement

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:

The Journal used DHS’s published funding formula to calculate eligible reimbursement amounts; 14 agencies in five states confirmed those findings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

If you pay expenses yourself, keep the receipts in the likely event that you are entitled to reimbursement from the estate.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 27, 2026

The inspector general recommended the high-speed rail authority update its travel policy to get advance written approval for trips, clarify expectations with staff and seek reimbursement for “unallowable expenses paid” from the consulting firms.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

"We had to understand the scope of the scheme, how reimbursement would work, how operators will be paid for carrying these services and meeting the gov's commitment," he said.

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

In hospitals in which the reimbursement rates for appendectomies ran higher, for instance, the surgeons removed more appendixes.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

In addition to grappling with the loss of state money for Flock cameras, some local officials face a financial hit because vehicle authority grants are given as reimbursements.

From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026

Escalante, who lives in Bakersfield, said she also has to drive her client to the grocery store, and that mileage reimbursements are not enough to cover her costs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

Federal prosecutors reviewed claims that JPMorgan Chase ignored antifraud flaws and denied more than $100 million in customer reimbursements.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

Should you need to return home early, don’t expect reimbursements from your travel agent or the hotels or tours you paid for.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026

“Many doctors on the island have left to the States for better reimbursements from insura—” He stops, leans against the stairs, and rubs his side.

From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya

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