verb · 4 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
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/ˌɹiːɪmˈbɜː(ɹ)s/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)s
CMU ARPABET:R IY2 IH0 M B ER1 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To compensate (someone) with payment; especially, to repay money spent on someone's behalf.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
The company will reimburse you for your expenses for the business trip.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: imburse
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To recoup (funds spent).
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
reimburse or compensate (someone), as for a loss
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: recoup
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: compensate, recompense, remunerate
4
verb
Meaning 4
pay back for some expense incurred
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Can the company reimburse me for my professional travel?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: refund, return, repay, give back
History
Etymology
1591, re- (“back”) + imburse (“pay”, literally “put in a purse”) (perhaps after Middle French rembourser or Italian rimborsàre), from Middle French embourser, from Old French en- (“in”) + borser (“to get money”), from borse (“purse”), from Medieval Latin bursa (English purse).
Across languages
Translations
38 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Azerbaijani:
qarşılamaq
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Bulgarian:
връщам
(vrǎštam)
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Bulgarian:
възстановявам
(vǎzstanovjavam)
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Catalan:
reemborsar
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Chinese Mandarin:
報銷 /报销
(Bàoxiāo)
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Danish:
godtgøre
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Danish:
tilbagebetale
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Dutch:
rembourseren
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Dutch:
vergoeden
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Dutch:
terugbetalen
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Esperanto:
repagi
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Estonian:
hüvitama
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Estonian:
korvama
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Finnish:
hyvittää
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Finnish:
korvata
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
French:
rembourser
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
German:
erstatten
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Hungarian:
megtérít
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Irish:
cúitigh
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Italian:
rimborsare
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Japanese:
返金
(henkin)
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Japanese:
返済
(henzai)
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Māori:
whakahoki moni
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Polish:
zwracać koszty
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Polish:
zwrócić koszty
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Polish:
refundować
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Polish:
zrefundować
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Portuguese:
reembolsar
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Romanian:
rambursa
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Russian:
возмеща́ть
(vozmeščátʹ)
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Russian:
компенси́ровать
(kompensírovatʹ)
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Slovene:
poplačati komu
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Spanish:
reembolsar
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Spanish:
pagar
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Swedish:
ersätta
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Turkish:
geri ödemek
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Turkish:
telafi etmek
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
Welsh:
ad-dalu
— to compensate with pay or money; especially, to repay money spent on one's behalf
