Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

compensate

/ˈkɑm.pənˌseɪt/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.78 in modern English

Syllables: com-pen-sate
IPA: /ˈkɑm.pənˌseɪt/

16

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

3

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To do (something good) after (something bad) happens.

verb

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

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.

verb

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

Example Sentences

"It is hard work, but they will compensate you well for it."
"His loud voice cannot compensate for a lack of personality."
"To compensate me for his tree landing on my shed, my neighbor paved my driveway."
"The length of the night and the dews thereof do compensate the heat of the day."
", Preface The pleasures of life do not compensate the miseries."
"I hate that old car because it steers a little to the left and I'm always compensating for that when I drive it."

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.

Origin

Source language: Latin

Word Breakdown

Root: compēnsātus

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈkɑm.pənˌseɪt/
British English: /ˈkɒm.pən.seɪt/

Inflected Forms

compensates (present, singular) compensating (participle, present) compensated (participle, past) compensated (past) no-table-tags (table tags) glossary (inflection template) compensated (first person, past) compensatest (archaic, present) compensated (past, second person) compensatedst (archaic, past) compensateth (archaic, present) compensated (past, singular)

Derived Forms

compensatable compensator decompensate malcompensate miscompensate overcompensate precompensate recompensate undercompensate

Frequently Paired Words

compensation compensatory compensable compensably recompense

Synonyms

make up guerdon reimburse atone offset acclimatize acclimate accommodate accustom adapt accord amend

Rhymes With

great state wait late date rate hate straight love-hate eight create weight

Questions

How do you pronounce compensate?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈkɑm.pənˌseɪt/.
What does compensate mean?: To do (something good) after (something bad) happens.
Where does compensate come from?: It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce compensate

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “compensate”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈkɑm.pənˌseɪt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “compensate”.
Repeat and practice — Say “compensate” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.