reimburse

American  

[ree-im-burs] / ˌri ɪmˈbɜrs /

verb (used with object)

reimbursed, reimbursing

1. to make repayment to for expense or loss incurred.

   The insurance company reimbursed him for his losses in the fire.

   Synonyms:

   redress, recoup, indemnify, remunerate, recompense

2. to pay back; refund; repay.

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reimburse British  

/ ˌriːɪmˈbɜːs /

verb

1. (tr) to repay or compensate (someone) for (money already spent, losses, damages, etc)

   your fare will be reimbursed after your interview

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Other Word Forms

• nonreimbursed adjective
• reimbursable adjective
• reimbursement noun
• reimburser noun
• unreimbursable adjective
• unreimbursed adjective

Etymology

Origin of reimburse

First recorded in 1605–15; re- + obsolete imburse “to put into a purse, pay,” from Medieval Latin imbursāre, equivalent to Latin im- im- ¹ + Medieval Latin -bursāre, derivative of bursa “bag” ( purse )

Example Sentences

Some third-party booking platforms offer price-drop protection, which will reimburse you if the cost changes after you reserve your seats.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

In California, this fund can reimburse clients up to $100,000, depending on when the loss occurred.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 11, 2026

FBI directors are banned from flying commercially due to security concerns, but must reimburse the government for personal use of the plane at the price of an airline ticket.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

As a result, ICE for months has been unable to reimburse health care officials, including for prescription medication, dialysis and chemotherapy, according to redacted ICE documents first reported by Popular Information.

From Salon • Feb. 20, 2026

He could reimburse the government for all the people and property he had destroyed and still have enough money left over to continue buying Egyptian cotton.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

Related Words

• compensate
• indemnify
• offset
• pay
• refund
• repay
• restore