rent

¹ American  

[rent] / rɛnt /

noun

1. a payment made periodically by a tenant to a landlord in return for the use of land, a building, an apartment, an office, or other property.

2. a payment or series of payments made by a lessee to an owner in return for the use of machinery, equipment, etc.

3. Economics. the excess of the produce or return yielded by a given piece of cultivated land over the cost of production; the yield from a piece of land or real estate.

4. profit or return derived from any differential advantage in production.

5. Obsolete. revenue or income.

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verb (used with object)

1. to grant the possession and enjoyment of (property, machinery, etc.) in return for the payment of rent from the tenant or lessee (often followed byout ).

2. to take and hold (property, machinery, etc.) in return for the payment of rent to the landlord or owner.

   Synonyms:

   lease, let, lease

verb (used without object)

1. to be leased or let for rent.

   This apartment rents cheaply.

2. to lease or let property.

3. to take possession of and use property by paying rent.

   She rents from a friend.

idioms

1. for rent, available to be rented, as a home or store.

   an apartment for rent.

rent ² American  

[rent] / rɛnt /

noun

1. an opening made by rending or tearing; slit; fissure.

   Synonyms:

   fracture, rupture, rip, cleft, rift, split, tear

2. a breach of relations or union between individuals or groups; schism.

   Synonyms:

   separation, division

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verb

1. simple past tense and past participle of rend.

rent ¹ British  

/ rɛnt /

noun

1. a payment made periodically by a tenant to a landlord or owner for the occupation or use of land, buildings, or by a user for the use of other property, such as a telephone

2. economics

   1. that portion of the national income accruing to owners of land and real property

   2. the return derived from the cultivation of land in excess of production costs

   3. See economic rent

3. available for use and occupation subject to the payment of rent

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verb

1. (tr) to grant (a person) the right to use one's property in return for periodic payments

2. (tr) to occupy or use (property) in return for periodic payments

3. to be let or rented (for a specified rental)

rent ² British  

/ rɛnt /

noun

1. a slit or opening made by tearing or rending; tear

2. a breach or division, as in relations

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verb

1. the past tense and past participle of rend

Related Words

See hire.

Other Word Forms

• rentability noun
• rentable adjective
• unrentable adjective

Etymology

Origin of rent¹

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English noun rent(e), from Old French from unattested Vulgar Latin rendita, feminine past participle of unattested rendere; verb derivative of the noun; render ¹

Origin of rent²

First recorded in 1325–75 for verb sense; 1525–35 rent ² for def. 1; Middle English; rend

Example Sentences

Short of money and struggling to find long-term employment, Daily couldn't afford to pay rent.

From BBC

"Either buying a house or renting is a ridiculous cost now," Sheffield said.

From BBC

The most recent figures - running up to September 2025 - showed 31,064 homes had been completed towards the target, including those for social rent, affordable rent and outright ownership.

From BBC

The property, a portion of which Edwards also rented out as a vacation home, is a short drive from Yosemite National Park.

From Los Angeles Times

The new series will follow Brydon's character Bill Bream who is forced to rent out his spare rooms following his divorce.

From BBC

Related Words

• borrow
• charter
• hire
• lease
• sublet