What does "compensation" mean?
The act or principle of compensating.
Compensation
/ˌkɒm.pənˈseɪ.ʃən/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act or principle of compensating.
- Grammar: compensation is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: recompense, redress, remuneration, reparation.
- Useful contrasts: no compensation, bilking, confiscating.
- Usage evidence: I promise you every possible compensation.
How to use "compensation"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "compensation" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "compensation" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "compensation" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "compensation" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "compensation" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "recompense" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "compensation", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act or principle of compensating. countable, uncountable
"Human labor, through all its forms, from the sharpening of a stake to the construction of a city or an epic, is one immense illustration of the perfect compensation of the universe."
- 2 the act of compensating for service or loss or injury wordnet
- 3 Something which is regarded as an equivalent; something which compensates for loss. countable, uncountable
"The parliament which dissolved the monastic foundations […] vouchsafed not a word toward securing the slightest compensation to the dispossessed owners."
- 4 something (such as money) given or received as payment or reparation (as for a service or loss or injury) wordnet
- 5 The extinction of debts of which two persons are reciprocally debtors by the credits of which they are reciprocally creditors; the payment of a debt by a credit of equal amount. countable, uncountable
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 (psychiatry) a defense mechanism that conceals your undesirable shortcomings by exaggerating desirable behaviors wordnet
- 7 A recompense or reward for service. countable, uncountable
- 8 An equivalent stipulated for in contracts for the sale of real estate, in which it is customary to provide that errors in description, etc., shall not avoid, but shall be the subject of compensation. countable, uncountable
- 9 The relationship between air temperature outside a building and a calculated target temperature for provision of air or water to contained rooms or spaces for the purpose of efficient heating. In building control systems, the compensation curve is defined to a compensator for this purpose. countable, uncountable
- 10 The ability of one part of the brain to overfunction in order to take over the function of a damaged part (e.g. following a stroke). countable, uncountable
Antonyms
Example
"I promise you every possible compensation."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "compensation"?
Common synonyms include: recompense, redress, remuneration, reparation, restitution, adjustment.
How do you use "compensation" in a sentence?
I promise you every possible compensation.
How do you pronounce "compensation"?
Pronounced /ˌkɒm.pənˈseɪ.ʃən/.
Etymology
From Middle English compensacioun, from Old French compensacion, from Latin compensātiōnem, accusative singular of compensātiō. Equivalent to compensate + -ion.