PAYBACK Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

payback 1 of 2

noun

ˈpā-ˌbak

Definition of payback

as in revenge

the act or an instance of responding to an injury with an injury we are hoping to get payback for the humiliating defeat we suffered at the hands of our rivals during our last matchup

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pay back

2 of 2

phrase

as in reimburse

to make a return payment to I already paid back what I owed you for groceries.

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of payback

Noun

Infamously, the novelist Richard Ford spat on Whitehead at a party, as payback for a pan in the Times Book Review. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026 Reed’s victims relished a chance at payback when the writer tried his hand at acting in the atrocious 1970 film adaptation of Gore Vidal’s novel Myra Breckinridge. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 12 May 2026 This wasn’t just a World Cup quarter-final but payback for England’s win at that stage of the tournament in 1966 and revenge, as Maradona later wrote in his autobiography, for the Falklands War of four years earlier. — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 3 June 2026 The payback test A key question underlying the lofty valuations of the hyperscalers and other AI companies is whether their capital spending plans reflect realistic revenue forecasts, according to economist Ed Yardeni of Yardeni Research. — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for payback

Recent Examples of Synonyms for payback

Noun

Short dramas tapped into these stories of time travel, revenge, and high fantasy — and translated the narrative patterns of web novels into video.

— Lavender Au, The Dial, 30 June 2026
The opposition views the initiative, proposed by Pastef, Sonko's party, as political revenge by the former prime minister, who retains significant influence over the parliamentary majority.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 June 2026

Definition of revenge

Noun

Moscow says the strike was retaliation for Ukraine’s 40-day campaign on Russian oil refineries and supply lines, which has fueled shortages, hit Crimea and eroded battlefield momentum.

— Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Moscow launched massive drone and missile strikes on Kyiv, killing at least 17 people in retaliation against recent Ukrainian attacks that have buckled Russia’s economy.

— Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of retaliation

Noun

Members of white government clubs hassled their white neighbors into political lockstep and advertised physical and financial retribution for any Black person who dared to vote.

— Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 3 July 2026
The president has spent much of the year waging a war of retribution against Republicans who have crossed him.

— Thomas Beaumont, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026

Definition of retribution

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payable

payback

pay back

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Style

“Payback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/payback. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of payback

noun

phrase

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