1
: requital
2
: a return on an investment equal to the original capital outlay
also
: the period of time elapsed before an investment is recouped
Examples of payback in a Sentence
They beat our team last year, so we've got to beat them this year as payback.
we are hoping to get payback for the humiliating defeat we suffered at the hands of our rivals during our last matchup
Recent Examples on the Web
Collect and present clean data, new-unit payback period, prime costs, same-store sales traffic trends etc.
—
Gary Occhiogrosso, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Well, here’s their chance at proper payback.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Following closely on his heels is a corrupt cop who wants payback for something Brolin’s character did as a cop.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
Many of Colorado’s stars from that team are off to the NFL, but that shouldn’t impact TCU’s desire for payback.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for payback
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Gary Occhiogrosso, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Well, here’s their chance at proper payback.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Following closely on his heels is a corrupt cop who wants payback for something Brolin’s character did as a cop.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
Many of Colorado’s stars from that team are off to the NFL, but that shouldn’t impact TCU’s desire for payback.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for payback
Cite this Entry
“Payback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/payback. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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