compensate

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to make payment to

   I compensated them for their time.

2. 2
   verb

   to make amends for

   We compensated for the destruction we caused.

3. 3
   verb

   to make reparations or amends for

   I'm trying to compensate for the damage I did.

4. 4
   verb

   To pay or reward someone in exchange for work done or some other consideration.

   It is hard work, but they will compensate you well for it.

5. 5
   verb

   To make up for; to do something in place of something else; to correct, satisfy; to reach an agreement such that the scales are literally or (metaphorically) balanced; to equalize or make even.

   His loud voice cannot compensate for a lack of personality.

6. 6
   verb

   To adjust or adapt to a change, often a harm or deprivation.

   I don't like driving that old car because it always steers a little to the left so I'm forever compensating for that when I drive it. Trust me, it gets annoying real fast.

7. 7
   verb

   to do or give something to somebody in return

8. 8
   verb

   to adjust for

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.