payback

[ pey-bak ]

noun

1. the period of time required to recoup a capital investment.
2. the return on an investment:

   This fund yields a payback of 15 percent tax-free.

3. the act or fact of paying back; repayment.
4. something done in retaliation:

   Excluding them from her wedding was a vicious payback for years of being snubbed.

verb phrase

1. 1. to repay or return; pay off:

      Graduates from this program are successfully paying back their student loans.

   2. to retaliate against or punish:

      She paid us back by refusing the invitation.

   3. to requite.

Word History and Origins

Origin of payback¹

First recorded in 1955–60; noun use of verb phrase pay back

Example Sentences

Payback is part of his agenda.

From Los Angeles Times

Other beneficiaries of political payback include South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, nominated to be secretary of homeland security, and New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, who is slated to be United Nations ambassador.

From Slate

Notable for starring 94-year-old June Squibb on a quest for payback, Josh Margolin’s debut goes deeper than the gag would suggest, summoning style and warmth.

From Los Angeles Times

Through an initiative called MyHubb, Mr Major is now offering architects detailed reports that estimate the carbon reduction potential and payback period on retrofitted measures - such as heat pump-based heating systems or solar panels, for instance.

From BBC

Some awards season forecasters are already speculating that Deadwyler’s performance could make her a serious Oscar contender — potential payback just two years after her “Till” snub, as well as the exclusion of other acclaimed Black women from the 2023 nominations, sparked the film academy’s latest controversy over race.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• compensation
• reimbursement