- 1[intransitive] compensate (for something) to provide something good to balance or reduce the bad effects of damage, loss, etc. synonym make up for Nothing can compensate for the loss of a loved one. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbamply, fully, more than, … prepositionfor, with See full entry
- 2[transitive] compensate somebody (for something) to pay somebody money because they have suffered some damage, loss, injury, etc. Her lawyers say she should be compensated for the suffering she had been caused. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbadequately, fairly, properly, … prepositionfor See full entry Word Originmid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘counterbalance’): from Latin compensat- ‘weighed against’, from the verb compensare, from com- ‘together’ + pensare (frequentative of pendere ‘weigh’).Extra examples His voice doesn’t have much range but he compensates with clever lyrics. I expect to be compensated financially. People whose health has suffered will be compensated in full. The advantages of the plan more than compensate for the risks associated with it. The company will compensate you for the losses you have suffered. a fund to compensate victims of abuse Her lawyers say she should be compensated both for her injuries and for the suffering she has been caused. Her rather odd looks were more than compensated for by her brilliant smile and irresistible personality. Nothing can compensate for the death of a loved one. She was so ashamed of her treatment of him that she felt she should compensate him in some way. State-of-the-art appliances may be expensive, but to compensate they will be more energy-efficient and last longer. The rail company offered to compensate passengers for any inconvenience caused. You should be able to eat more on this diet without having to compensate by going hungry.
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BrE BrE//ˈkɒmpenseɪt//; NAmE NAmE//ˈkɑːmpenseɪt//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they compensate BrE BrE//ˈkɒmpenseɪt//; NAmE NAmE//ˈkɑːmpenseɪt//
he / she / it compensates BrE BrE//ˈkɒmpenseɪts//; NAmE NAmE//ˈkɑːmpenseɪts//
past simple compensated BrE BrE//ˈkɒmpenseɪtɪd//; NAmE NAmE//ˈkɑːmpenseɪtɪd//
past participle compensated BrE BrE//ˈkɒmpenseɪtɪd//; NAmE NAmE//ˈkɑːmpenseɪtɪd//
-ing form compensating BrE BrE//ˈkɒmpenseɪtɪŋ//; NAmE NAmE//ˈkɑːmpenseɪtɪŋ//
Check pronunciation: compensate
