What does rebated mean?
Rebated is the past tense and past participle of rebate, a verb meaning to return or credit part of a payment. It is especially common in retail, manufacturing, finance, and government contexts, where a company or agency may rebate a purchase price, an overpayment, a processing fee, or some other charge. The money may be returned directly or credited toward a later purchase. A rebated amount is therefore a discount that has been granted, although the customer may sometimes need to meet eligibility conditions or follow a claim procedure. The word can also appear before a noun, as in "rebated amount," describing a sum that has been credited back. In ordinary conversation, "refunded" is often the simpler alternative, but "rebated" is especially useful when the refund represents a reduction in the price rather than a separate repayment.
verbPast tense and past participle of rebate: to return or credit part of a payment as a discount.
- To return part of a payment as a discount or refund.
- As a participial adjective, having had part of a payment returned or credited.
"The company rebated part of the purchase price to loyal customers."
"The retailer rebated $25 to customers who returned the product within thirty days."
"The government rebated the full amount of the processing fee to eligible applicants."
A rebate turns a purchase into a partial refund: the price may be advertised as lower, but the customer must still qualify for the money back.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does rebated come from?
Rebate ultimately comes through French from Italian rabbattere, meaning "to make an opening" or "to invite buyers," and historically referred to a discount offered to attract customers. The verb developed the sense of returning or deducting part of a payment. Rebated is simply the standard past tense and past participle of rebate, so its form follows ordinary English verb inflection.
Related word forms
How rebated is actually used
Common in business, retail, finance, and government contexts. It is often used in the passive, as in "the fee was rebated," and can sound more formal than simply saying that money was refunded.