repay
- 01 B1 Intermediate
to give back money that you have borrowed from a person or a bank.
to refund or pay back a debt or loan. Transitive, requiring a direct object representing the amount or the creditor.
Simple“He promised to repay the loan in full by the end of the year.”
In context“The borrower is legally obligated to repay the principal amount along with any accrued interest according to the agreed schedule.”
UsageOften used with 'loan', 'debt', or 'mortgage'.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
to do something good for someone because they were kind or helpful to you in the past.
to requite or reward a person for a service, kindness, or injury. Transitive, often taking the person as the object.
Simple“I hope I can repay your kindness one day.”
In context“She felt a strong desire to repay her mentor's guidance by achieving success in her own academic career.”
UsageCommonly collocates with 'kindness', 'generosity', or 'hospitality'.
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
to be worth the time or work you put into something because the result is good.
to yield a return or result that justifies the effort or attention expended.
Simple“The beautiful view from the top of the mountain will repay your hard work.”
In context“The historical documents are difficult to read, but they will repay careful study by providing unique insights into the period.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is more common in formal writing and literature than in everyday conversation.
Synonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
to cover a surface, like the bottom of a wooden boat, with tar or pitch for a second time.
to apply a fresh coat of tar, pitch, or similar waterproof material to a surface, typically a ship's hull.
Simple“The sailors had to repay the deck to keep the water out.”
In context“Maintenance of the vintage vessel required the crew to periodically repay the seams with hot pitch to ensure it remained seaworthy.”
UsageSpecific to nautical maintenance and traditional shipbuilding.
Synonymsrecoatreseal
From Old French repaier (“to pay back”), from re- + paiier (“to pay”), from Latin pācāre (“to settle, to make peaceful”), from pāx (“peace”) + -ō (forming verbs). Equivalent to re- + pay. Cognate with repacify and French repayer (“to pay again”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.