PAY (BACK) Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

payback 1 of 2

noun

ˈpā-ˌbak

Definition of payback

as in revenge

the act or an instance of responding to an injury with an injury we are hoping to get payback for the humiliating defeat we suffered at the hands of our rivals during our last matchup

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pay back

2 of 2

phrase

as in reimburse

to make a return payment to I already paid back what I owed you for groceries.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of payback

Noun

CFOs should lead difficult conversations about earlier misjudgments while identifying more realistic payback horizons. — Jim Deloach, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 While companies have cashed out their refunds—Nike is said to have received about $300 million, and is expecting to see $1 billion by the end of the year, while Amazon got $600 million in paybacks—consumers aren’t seeing the returns. — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 6 Aug. 2026 Trailer Dynamics prices its system between €145,000 and €195,000 and targets a payback period of no more than five years. — IEEE Spectrum, 8 July 2026 The broader question for investors is whether initiatives like Frontier can convert today’s heavy AI capex into durable, high-margin growth—or simply extend the payback period. — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for payback

Recent Examples of Synonyms for payback

Noun

Is anyone in The Shards getting revenge at this point, though?

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
But where each side diverges is on who was seeking revenge, an act that resulted in the death of an unintended victim — Robinson — instead of Bowman.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of revenge

Noun

But Washington canceled the attack in part because of Gulf Arab states’ concerns about potential retaliation.

— JAMES F. JEFFREY, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026
McCoy’s lawsuit alleges that her demotion was in violation of Missouri’s whistleblower statute, which allows public employees to sue for unlawful retaliation after reporting violations of law.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of retaliation

Noun

But Blanche’s policy priorities are often overshadowed by a growing number of investigations that have drawn criticism that the department is being used as a weapon in the president’s campaign of retribution.

— Alanna Durkin Richer, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
But park officials never addressed her report or checked on their wellbeing, said the woman, who is a nationwide passholder and asked to remain anonymous to avoid retribution from Six Flags.

— Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of retribution

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payable

payback

pay back

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“Payback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/payback. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of payback

noun

phrase

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