View synonyms for payback

payback

[ pey-bak ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the period of time required to recoup a capital investment.
the return on an investment:
This fund yields a payback of 15 percent tax-free.
the act or fact of paying back; repayment.
something done in retaliation:
Excluding them from her wedding was a vicious payback for years of being snubbed.

1. to repay or return; pay off:
  Graduates from this program are successfully paying back their student loans.
2. to retaliate against or punish:
  She paid us back by refusing the invitation.
3. to requite.

Origin of payback¹

First recorded in 1955–60; noun use of verb phrase pay back

The payback scene at the end of the new season was really hard to watch.

Nonetheless, his power also derives from fear: fear of political payback, fear of his alleged wealth.

The payback was swift and the re-alignment was total: a Solid South, but this time, Republican.

If a Republican wins the presidency in 2016, the payback from Democrats will be vicious.

Drive 20,000 miles per year at $4.00 a gallon, and the payback period is shorter—2.5 years.

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