verb · neutral

compensate

UK/ˈkɒmpənseɪt/US/ˈkɑːmpənseɪt/COMP·en·sate

Band 6-7task2speakingtask1

to give someone something (often money) to make up for loss, injury, or disadvantage

Examples

The company compensated passengers for the delayed flights.

Higher wages may compensate for poor working conditions.

No payment can fully compensate the families affected by the disaster.

Band 8 sentence

While increased salaries may partly compensate for poor infrastructure, long-term investment in facilities is essential.

Collocations

  • compensate someone for something
  • compensate for losses/damage/inconvenience

Word family

compensation nouncompensatory adjective

Common mistakes

They will compensate to the victims.They will compensate the victims.

The company compensate workers last year.The company compensated workers last year.

Say it for a higher band

5pay6make up for7+compensate

Synonyms

reimburse

Easily confused

pay

They will pay the contractor after the work is finished.

Related words

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In Sublist 4

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