compensate

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈkɑm.pənˌseɪt/ UK /ˈkɒm.pən.seɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #11159

Meanings

1

verb
To pay someone money, usually for loss, injury, or work done.

The airline compensated passengers for the cancelled flight.
2

verb
To make up for something bad or lacking with something good.

His loud voice cannot compensate for a lack of personality.
3

verb
To adjust or adapt in order to balance out a change or problem.

That old car steers to the left, so I'm forever compensating when I drive it.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to pay someone money,... recompense pay

2 verb · to make up for something... make up atone redress

3 verb · to adjust or adapt in order... correct acclimatize

More acclimate accommodate accord accustom adapt amend appeasecompensedispense equate expiate

Word family

Forms compensatedcompensatescompensatingcompensatory

Derived forms compensatablecompensatordecompensatemalcompensatemiscompensateovercompensateprecompensaterecompensateundercompensate

Related forms compensablecompensablycompensationcompensatoryrecompense

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin compēnsātus, perfect passive participle of compensō (“to weight together one thing against another, balance, make good”), -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more.

compēnsātus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# compensate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈkɑm.pənˌseɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkɒm.pən.seɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 11159

## Meanings
1. To pay someone money, usually for loss, injury, or work done.
2. To make up for something bad or lacking with something good.
3. To adjust or adapt in order to balance out a change or problem.

## Examples
- The airline compensated passengers for the cancelled flight.
- His loud voice cannot compensate for a lack of personality.
- That old car steers to the left, so I'm forever compensating when I drive it.

## Synonyms
- acclimate
- accommodate
- accord
- accustom
- adapt
- amend
- appease
- atone
- compense
- dispense
- equate
- expiate

## Derived Forms
- compensatable
- compensator
- decompensate
- malcompensate
- miscompensate
- overcompensate
- precompensate
- recompensate
- undercompensate

## Related Forms
- compensable
- compensably
- compensation
- compensatory
- recompense

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: compēnsātus

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin compēnsātus, perfect passive participle of compensō (“to weight together one thing against another, balance, make good”), -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more.

## AI Etymology
compensate is a verb. It was borrowed from Latin compēnsātus, perfect passive participle of compensō (“to weight together one thing against another, balance, make good”), -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more. Historical forms in the chain include compēnsātus (Latin). Current senses include to pay someone money, usually for loss, injury, or work done, to make up for something bad or lacking with something good, and to adjust or adapt in order to balance out a change or problem. Derived forms include compensatable, compensator, decompensate, malcompensate, and miscompensate. Related words include compensable, compensably, compensation, and compensatory.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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