# recompense

/ˈɹɛkəmˌpɛns/ (US) · /ɹˈɛkəmpˌɛns/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/recompense
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

money or something good you give someone to pay them back for help, loss, or work.

For teachers: compensation or repayment given for a loss suffered, a service rendered, or an injury sustained. Often implies a fitting or morally owed return rather than a routine wage.

## Examples

- They offer money as recompense for the broken window.
- The airline gives passengers vouchers as recompense for the cancelled flight and long delay.
- After years of unpaid overtime, the promotion felt less like advancement than belated recompense for sacrifices the company had long taken for granted.

## Synonyms

compensation, payment, reward

## Usage notes

- Often appears in the phrases 'as recompense for' and 'in recompense for'.

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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.