What does indemnify mean?
Indemnify is a formal verb meaning to compensate someone for money they have lost or spent, or to protect them legally from responsibility for loss, damage, or claims. It appears frequently in contracts, insurance agreements, employment documents, and legal settlements. For example, a company might agree to indemnify an employee for costs arising from the employer's instructions, or a party might be indemnified against claims made by a third party. The word carries a formal, protective connotation: it suggests both the possibility of loss and an arrangement for shifting or covering that burden. In general use, “insure” is often the more familiar term when insurance itself is meant, but “indemnify” is broader because it can refer to contractual reimbursement as well as legal protection. The related noun “indemnity” names the compensation, protection, or contractual promise itself.
verbTo compensate someone for loss, damage, or costs they have suffered, or to protect someone legally against such liability.
- To compensate someone for a loss, expense, or damage.
- To exempt someone from legal liability or protect them against claims.
"The agreement indemnifies the contractor against any claims arising from the work."
"The company agreed to indemnify the employee for reasonable legal expenses."
"The clause was drafted to indemnify the directors against claims arising from their decisions."
To indemnify is to put someone behind a financial or legal shield: the promise that losses will not become their burden.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does indemnify come from?
Indemnify comes through French from Latin indemnis, meaning “free from loss” or “unharmed.” The Latin word was formed from in-, meaning “not” or “without,” and damnum, meaning “loss” or “damage.” English developed the legal sense of compensation and protection, later giving rise to the noun “indemnity.”
Related word forms
How indemnify is actually used
The word is primarily formal and legal. It often appears in contracts, indemnities, and insurance-related language. In American usage, insure is more common when referring specifically to insurance, while indemnify emphasizes protection from liability or compensation for loss.
Easily confused with indemnify
Indemnify means to compensate or legally protect someone from loss, whereas ensure means to make certain that something happens.
Indemnify is broader and often concerns legal protection or reimbursement, while insure most commonly refers to obtaining or providing insurance.