What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
compensate
Example
The company will compensate you for the damages caused by their mistake. [compensate: verb]
Example
The employer offered to compensate the employees for working overtime. [compensate: verb]
recompense
Example
The victim was recompensed for the damages caused by the accident. [recompensed: past tense]
Example
The company offered a recompense to the customers affected by the faulty product. [recompense: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Compensate is more commonly used than recompense in everyday language.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between compensate and recompense?
Recompense is more formal and less commonly used in informal contexts, while compensate is more versatile and can be used in both formal and informal settings.
