What does repaid mean?
Repaid is the past tense and past participle of repay, meaning to pay back money or return something that has been received. A person can repay a loan, a debt, or an advance, while an organisation or government may repay borrowed funds or financial obligations. The word can also have a broader social meaning: someone repays a kindness by helping in return, or repays a debt of gratitude through supportive action. It is used in everyday conversation as well as in formal financial and legal contexts. Repaid is related to reimburse, which often means returning money that someone has paid on another person’s behalf, but repay more generally suggests giving back what is owed or returning a favour. Its history combines the idea of returning or giving back with the older sense of giving or paying.
verbTo pay back money that has been borrowed or received; to return a debt or obligation. It can also mean to reward someone for a kindness or to compensate for harm.
- To pay back money or repay a financial obligation.
- To compensate someone for a loss, harm, or effort.
- To return a kindness, favour, or other benefit.
"She worked extra shifts so that she could repay her brother for helping her move."
"The company repaid the loan five years ahead of schedule."
"He repaid her kindness by helping her prepare for the exam."
Repaid carries its meaning in plain sight: re- plus paid, money given back.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does repaid come from?
Repay developed from Anglo-Norman French repayr, meaning to pay back, which was based on Latin reddere, “to give back” or “return.” The Latin verb combined the intensive prefix re- with dare, “to give.” Related English words include redeem and redemption, while render preserves a related Latin root through a different vowel development.
Related word forms
How repaid is actually used
Repaid is the simple past tense and past participle of repay. It is used in both formal and informal English and commonly describes returning money, settling a debt, or reciprocating help or kindness.