compensate
verb
Simple meaning
Make up for shortcomings or a feeling of inferiority by exaggerating good qualities.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
kahmpuhnsaytSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈkɑmpənseɪt
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
ambitransitive
Make up for shortcomings or a feeling of inferiority by exaggerating good qualities
“He is compensating for being a bad father.”
ambitransitive
Make amends for; pay compensation for
ambitransitive
Make reparations or amends for
ambitransitive
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.
To pay or reward someone in exchange for work done or some other consideration.
To adjust or adapt to a change, often a harm or deprivation.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate (estimated)
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Make up for shortcomings or a feeling of inferiority by exaggerating good qualities
Used this way, compensate is a common word with a mildly favourable edge. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“He is compensating for being a bad father.”
- Emotional tone
- Slightly positive
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Moderate
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Positive and appreciative
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
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Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A minimum credit balance that a bank may require a borrower to keep on deposit as a condition for granting a loan.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
Compensation for losses that can readily be proven to have occurred and for which the injured party has the right to be compensated.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: make up for shortcomings
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.