# owes

/ˈoʊz/ (US) · /ˈəʊz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/owes
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. financial debt

verb · CEFR A2

to need to pay money back to a person, bank, or company.

For teachers: to be under an obligation to pay or repay money to someone in return for something received.

- He still owes his brother fifty dollars for the concert tickets.
- The company owes its creditors several million dollars, a debt that has accumulated over three years of poor fiscal management.

Usage: Follows the pattern 'owe someone something'.

### 2. moral obligation

verb · CEFR B1

to feel you should do something for someone because they were kind or helpful to you.

For teachers: to feel a moral or social obligation to give something to someone or do something for them.

- I think she owes you an apology for being so rude yesterday.
- The politician owes his success to the grassroots volunteers who campaigned tirelessly in the weeks leading up to the election.

### 3. causal origin

verb · CEFR B2

to have something because of someone or something else.

For teachers: to be indebted to someone or something as the source or cause of a quality or advantage.

- The city owes its beauty to the many parks and old buildings.
- The novel owes much of its popularity to the author's ability to blend historical fact with compelling fictional narratives.

## Examples

- He still owes me ten dollars for lunch yesterday.
- The small business owes its success to the loyal customers who supported it during the first year.
- While the debtor technically owes the full amount by the end of the month, the bank may offer an extension if he can prove a temporary loss of income.

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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.