# pay one's debt to society

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/pay-ones-debt-to-society
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To serve time in prison or a similar correctional facility.

## Examples

- He must pay his debt to society for his crimes.
- After the judge sentenced him to five years in prison, he began to pay his debt to society.
- The former convict spent his final years working in community service, feeling he had finally paid his debt to society.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.