What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
compense
Example
The company will compense its employees for working overtime. [compense: verb]
Example
The insurance policy will compense the victim for the damages caused by the accident. [compense: verb]
recompense
Example
The company will recompense its employees for their hard work and dedication. [recompense: verb]
Example
The victim was recompensed for the damages caused by the negligent driver. [recompense: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Recompense is more commonly used than compense in everyday language, especially in phrases such as 'just recompense', 'adequate recompense', or 'fair recompense'. Compense is less common and is mostly used in legal or formal contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between compense and recompense?
Compense is more formal than recompense and is mostly used in legal or formal contexts. Recompense is more versatile and can be employed in various formality levels, allowing it to be used in both formal and informal contexts.
