payback

noun
UK: /ˈpeɪ.bæk/
US: /ˈpeɪ.bæk/

  1. Something you do to hurt someone because they have hurt you.

    1. He wanted payback for the insults he had suffered. [ ] [ ]
    2. The movie is about a gangster seeking payback for his brother's death. [ ] [ ]

  2. The act of getting revenge; retaliation.

    1. This is payback for all the times you embarrassed me. [ ] [ ]
    2. She plotted her payback carefully, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. [ ] [ ]

  3. The return or yield on an investment or project.

    1. The payback from the new equipment will take several years. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company expects a quick payback on its investment in renewable energy. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

reprisal requital recompense vengeance revenge

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "payback" in English means: Something you do to hurt someone because they have hurt you., The act of getting revenge; retaliation., The return or yield on an investment or project..

The phonetic transcription of "payback" is /ˈpeɪ.bæk/ in British English and /ˈpeɪ.bæk/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "payback": reprisal, requital, recompense, vengeance, revenge.

Example usage of "payback": "He wanted payback for the insults he had suffered.". More examples on the page.