compensate
to recompense for something: They gave him ten dollars to compensate him for his trouble.
to counterbalance; offset; be equivalent to: He compensated his homely appearance with great personal charm.
Mechanics. to counterbalance (a force or the like); adjust or construct so as to offset or counterbalance variations or produce equilibrium.
to change the gold content of (a monetary unit) to counterbalance price fluctuations and thereby stabilize its purchasing power.
to provide or be an equivalent; make up; make amends (usually followed by for): His occasional courtesies did not compensate for his general rudeness.
Psychology. to develop or employ mechanisms of compensation.
Origin of compensate
1Other words for compensate
Other words from compensate
- com·pen·sat·ing·ly, adverb
- com·pen·sa·tor, noun
- non·com·pen·sat·ed, adjective
- non·com·pen·sat·ing, adjective
- pre·com·pen·sate, verb (used with object), pre·com·pen·sat·ed, pre·com·pen·sat·ing.
- re·com·pen·sate, verb (used with object), re·com·pen·sat·ed, re·com·pen·sat·ing.
- sub·com·pen·sate, verb (used with object), sub·com·pen·sat·ed, sub·com·pen·sat·ing.
- un·com·pen·sat·ed, adjective
- un·com·pen·sat·ing, adjective
- well-com·pen·sat·ed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use compensate in a sentence
“I was very well compensated for my work in commercial film and TV,” says Greenwald.
Good learning, integrity, and ability, are well compensated in all the professions.
Thoughts on Educational Topics and Institutions | George S. BoutwellThe Ky-ro-ite landlord perhaps thought he ought to be well compensated for keeping a hotel in such a place.
Lincolniana | Andrew AdderupBut he seems not to have been well compensated for his fourteen long years of toil for these two sisters.
The Bible Of Bibles; | Kersey GravesThis was tolerably well compensated in other parts of Europe.
The trust was an important one, and the labors of an attorney were well compensated, which made the situation desirable.
Jack in the Forecastle | John Sherburne Sleeper
British Dictionary definitions for compensate
/ (ˈkɒmpɛnˌseɪt) /
to make amends to (someone), esp for loss or injury
(tr) to serve as compensation or damages for (injury, loss, etc)
to offset or counterbalance the effects of (a force, weight, movement, etc) so as to nullify the effects of an undesirable influence and produce equilibrium
(intr) to attempt to conceal or offset one's shortcomings by the exaggerated exhibition of qualities regarded as desirable
Origin of compensate
1Derived forms of compensate
- compensatory (ˈkɒmpɛnˌseɪtərɪ, kəmˈpɛnsətərɪ, -trɪ) or compensative (ˈkɒmpɛnˌseɪtɪv, kəmˈpɛnsə-), adjective
- compensator, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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