Standard Lemma guide

redeem

verb · 18 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɹɪˈdiːm/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • India: /ɾiːˈd̪iːm/
  • rhymes with -iːm
  • CMU ARPABET: R IH0 D IY1 M Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To recover ownership of something by buying it back.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To liberate by payment of a ransom.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To set free by force.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To save, rescue.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To clear, release from debt or blame.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To expiate, atone (for).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To convert (some bond or security) into cash.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: business, finance

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To save from a state of sin (and from its consequences).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To repair, restore.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To reform, change (for the better).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

To restore the honour, worth, or reputation of oneself or something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

verb

Meaning 12

To reclaim.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

verb

Meaning 13

convert into cash; of commercial papers

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: cash, cash in

14

verb

Meaning 14

pay off (loans or promissory notes)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pay off

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pay

15

verb

Meaning 15

exchange or buy back for money; under threat

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ransom

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: exchange, change, interchange

16

verb

Meaning 16

to turn in (vouchers or coupons) and receive something in exchange

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: exchange, change, interchange

17

verb

Meaning 17

restore the honor or worth of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: restore, reinstate, reestablish

18

verb

Meaning 18

save from sins

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: deliver, save

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Latin red- Proto-Indo-European *h1em- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *h1émeti Proto-Italic *emō Latin emō Latin redimōbor. Old French redimerbor. Middle English redemen English redeem From Middle English redemen, modified from Old French redimer, from Latin redimō (“release; obviate; atone for”), itself from red- (“back; again”) + emō (“buy; gain, take, procure”).

Across languages

Translations

154 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: откупвам (otkupvam) — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Catalan: redimir — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Chinese Mandarin: 赎回 (shúhuí) — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Czech: vykoupit — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Czech: vyplatit — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Dutch: terugkopen — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Finnish: lunastaa — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Finnish: ostaa takaisin — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • French: racheter — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • German: zurückkaufen — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Irish: fuascail — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Japanese: 買い戻す (kai-modosu) — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Kapampangan: atbus — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Latin: redimō — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Manx: feayshil — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Manx: aachionnee — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Manx: kionnee reesht — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Occitan: redimir — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Polish: odkupywać — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Polish: odkupić — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Portuguese: resgatar — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Portuguese: redimir — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Russian: выкупа́ть (vykupátʹ) — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Russian: вы́купить (výkupitʹ) — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Spanish: redimir — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Turkish: geri almak — to recover ownership of something by paying a sum
  • Bulgarian: откупвам (otkupvam) — to liberate by payment of ransom
  • Czech: vykoupit — to liberate by payment of ransom
  • Dutch: vrijkopen — to liberate by payment of ransom
  • Esperanto: elaĉeti — to liberate by payment of ransom
  • Finnish: maksaa lunnaat — to liberate by payment of ransom
  • German: loslösen — to liberate by payment of ransom
  • German: freikaufen — to liberate by payment of ransom
  • Ancient Greek: λυτροω (lutroō) — to liberate by payment of ransom
  • Irish: fuascail — to liberate by payment of ransom
  • Latin: redimō — to liberate by payment of ransom
  • Occitan: redimir — to liberate by payment of ransom
  • Polish: odkupywać — to liberate by payment of ransom
  • Polish: odkupić — to liberate by payment of ransom
  • Russian: выкупа́ть (vykupátʹ) — to liberate by payment of ransom
  • Russian: вы́купить (výkupitʹ) — to liberate by payment of ransom
  • Swedish: återlösa — to liberate by payment of ransom
  • Turkish: kurtarmak — to liberate by payment of ransom
  • Bulgarian: освобождавам (osvoboždavam) — to set free by force
  • Danish: befri — to set free by force
  • Dutch: bevrijden — to set free by force
  • Finnish: vapauttaa — to set free by force
  • French: libérer — to set free by force
  • German: befreien — to set free by force
  • Irish: fuascail — to set free by force
  • Occitan: desliurar — to set free by force
  • Occitan: liberar — to set free by force
  • Portuguese: libertar — to set free by force
  • Swedish: befria — to set free by force
  • Turkish: kurtarmak — to set free by force
  • Bulgarian: спасявам (spasjavam) — to save, rescue, recover
  • Czech: vykoupit — to save, rescue, recover
  • Danish: redde — to save, rescue, recover
  • Danish: frelse — to save, rescue, recover
  • Dutch: redden — to save, rescue, recover
  • Dutch: verlossen — to save, rescue, recover
  • Finnish: pelastaa — to save, rescue, recover
  • French: secourir — to save, rescue, recover
  • German: befreien — to save, rescue, recover
  • Greek: εξαγοράζω (exagorázo) — to save, rescue, recover
  • Occitan: redimir — to save, rescue, recover
  • Occitan: rescaptar — to save, rescue, recover
  • Portuguese: resgatar — to save, rescue, recover
  • Swedish: rädda — to save, rescue, recover
  • Vietnamese: cứu chuộc — to save, rescue, recover
  • Vietnamese: chuộc — to save, rescue, recover
  • Czech: vykoupit — to clear, release from debt or blame
  • Finnish: vapauttaa — to clear, release from debt or blame
  • French: libérer — to clear, release from debt or blame
  • French: soulager — to clear, release from debt or blame
  • Occitan: redimir — to clear, release from debt or blame
  • Portuguese: redimir — to clear, release from debt or blame
  • Spanish: redimir — to clear, release from debt or blame
  • Bulgarian: изкупвам (izkupvam) — to expiate, atone for
  • Czech: vykoupit — to expiate, atone for
  • Dutch: uitboeten — to expiate, atone for
  • Esperanto: elaĉeti — to expiate, atone for
  • Finnish: sovittaa — to expiate, atone for
  • Portuguese: redimir-se — to expiate, atone for
  • Spanish: redimirse — to expiate, atone for
  • Swedish: gottgöra — to expiate, atone for
  • Swedish: sona — to expiate, atone for
  • Bulgarian: осребрявам (osrebrjavam) — to convert into cash
  • Catalan: bescanviar — to convert into cash
  • Czech: proplatit — to convert into cash
  • Dutch: afbetalen — to convert into cash
  • Dutch: aflossen — to convert into cash
  • Dutch: inlossen — to convert into cash
  • Dutch: omzetten — to convert into cash
  • Dutch: uitboeten — to convert into cash
  • Dutch: vrijkopen — to convert into cash
  • Dutch: genoegdoen — to convert into cash
  • Finnish: lunastaa — to convert into cash
  • French: liquider — to convert into cash
  • German: einlösen — to convert into cash
  • Greek: εξαργυρώνω (exargyróno) — to convert into cash
  • Irish: fuascail — to convert into cash
  • Italian: riscattare — to convert into cash
  • Polish: spieniężać — to convert into cash
  • Russian: обнали́чивать (obnalíčivatʹ) — to convert into cash
  • Slovene: vnovčiti — to convert into cash
  • Spanish: canjear — to convert into cash
  • Dutch: herstellen — to repair, restore
  • Finnish: korjata — to repair, restore
  • French: réparer — to repair, restore
  • French: rétablir — to repair, restore
  • German: wiederherstellen — to repair, restore
  • Swedish: återställa — to repair, restore
  • Turkish: eski duruma döndürmek — to repair, restore
  • Turkish: tadilat yapmak — to repair, restore
  • Finnish: uudistaa — to change for the better, reform
  • French: améliorer — to change for the better, reform
  • French: réformer — to change for the better, reform
  • German: verbessern — to change for the better, reform
  • Russian: улучша́ться (ulučšátʹsja) — to change for the better, reform
  • Russian: улу́чшиться (ulúčšitʹsja) — to change for the better, reform
  • Turkish: iyileştirmek — to change for the better, reform
  • Czech: vykoupit — to save from a state of sin
  • Danish: frelse — to save from a state of sin
  • Finnish: lunastaa — to save from a state of sin
  • Finnish: vapahtaa — to save from a state of sin
  • Finnish: armahtaa — to save from a state of sin
  • Finnish: pelastaa — to save from a state of sin
  • German: erlösen — to save from a state of sin
  • Hebrew: גָּאַל (ga'ál) — to save from a state of sin
  • Irish: slánaigh — to save from a state of sin
  • Italian: redimere — to save from a state of sin
  • Japanese: あがなう (aganau) — to save from a state of sin
  • Occitan: redimir — to save from a state of sin
  • Polish: odkupywać — to save from a state of sin
  • Polish: odkupić — to save from a state of sin
  • Portuguese: redimir — to save from a state of sin
  • Russian: искупа́ть (iskupátʹ) — to save from a state of sin
  • Russian: искупи́ть (iskupítʹ) — to save from a state of sin
  • Spanish: redimir — to save from a state of sin
  • Swedish: frälsa — to save from a state of sin
  • Swedish: återlösa — to save from a state of sin
  • Turkish: arıtmak — to save from a state of sin
  • Turkish: temizlemek — to save from a state of sin
  • Finnish: palauttaa kunnia — to restore the reputation, honour of ...
  • French: racheter — to restore the reputation, honour of ...
  • German: (Ruf) wiederherstellen — to restore the reputation, honour of ...
  • Japanese: 回復する (kaifuku-suru) — to restore the reputation, honour of ...
  • Portuguese: redimir — to restore the reputation, honour of ...
  • Russian: обеля́ть (obeljátʹ) — to restore the reputation, honour of ...
  • Russian: обели́ть (obelítʹ) — to restore the reputation, honour of ...
  • Spanish: redimir — to restore the reputation, honour of ...
  • Turkish: aklamak — to restore the reputation, honour of ...
  • Turkish: temize çıkarmak — to restore the reputation, honour of ...