# repaid

/ɹiˈpeɪd/ (US) · /ɹɪpˈeɪd/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/repaid
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

to pay back money that you borrowed from someone. It can also mean to do something nice for someone because they helped you in the past.

For teachers: the past tense and past participle of 'repay'; refers to the act of returning borrowed funds or compensating someone for a previous service or kindness.

## Examples

- He finally repaid the loan after two years.
- She felt she had finally repaid her mentor's kindness by helping the next generation of students.
- Although the financial debt was legally settled, he felt the emotional support he received during the crisis could never be fully repaid through mere monetary means.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He repayed the money yesterday." but "He repaid the money yesterday." — The past tense of 'repay' is irregular; it uses 'paid' rather than the standard '-ed' suffix.

## Usage notes

- Transitive verb — requires a direct object, usually the debt or the person being compensated.

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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.