redeem

1
2
as in to save
to free from captivity or punishment by paying a price the government has consistently refused to redeem hostages captured by terrorists

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in to forgive
to free from the penalties or consequences of sin the belief that sinners are redeemed by their faith in God

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in to rehabilitate
to make better in behavior or character the unfaithful husband made a determined effort to redeem himself in the eyes of his wife and children

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5
as in to compensate
to make up for (an offense) quickly redeemed the offending remark with a sincere and unconditional apology

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb redeem contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of redeem are deliver, ransom, reclaim, rescue, and save. While all these words mean "to set free from confinement or danger," redeem implies releasing from bondage or penalties by giving what is demanded or necessary.

job training designed to redeem school dropouts from chronic unemployment

When is deliver a more appropriate choice than redeem?

The words deliver and redeem can be used in similar contexts, but deliver implies release usually of a person from confinement, temptation, slavery, or suffering.

delivered his people from bondage

When can ransom be used instead of redeem?

Although the words ransom and redeem have much in common, ransom specifically applies to buying out of captivity.

tried to ransom the kidnap victim

When might reclaim be a better fit than redeem?

The synonyms reclaim and redeem are sometimes interchangeable, but reclaim suggests a bringing back to a former state or condition of someone or something abandoned or debased.

reclaimed long-abandoned farms

When would rescue be a good substitute for redeem?

While in some cases nearly identical to redeem, rescue implies freeing from imminent danger by prompt or vigorous action.

rescued the crew of a sinking ship

In what contexts can save take the place of redeem?

The words save and redeem are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, save may replace any of the foregoing terms; it may further imply a preserving or maintaining for usefulness or continued existence.

an operation that saved my life

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of redeem Customers earn points for purchases, social shares, referrals and more, and those points can be redeemed for discounts, exclusive access or gifts. Shoplazza Contributor, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025 Welts also defended the trade, comparing it to other blockbuster trades for players like Lenny Wilkens, Stephon Marbury and Monta Ellis, saying trades initially disliked by fans can be redeemed by time. Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Apr. 2025 According to the company, customers will have until May 6 to redeem the Pizza Refund. Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025 These tickets can be redeemed at any Florida Lottery office, either the main office in Tallahassee or the district offices around Florida, which are open 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Miami office is at 14621 Oak Ln. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for redeem
Recent Examples of Synonyms for redeem
Verb
  • However, after making season one, Gilroy and Luna both realized that their initial aim was too ambitious and likely required at least a decade of their lives to fulfill.
    Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 18 Apr. 2025
  • The tech executive hired several young engineers aged 19-24 to fulfill his directives at DOGE, which centered on eliminating positions Musk deemed to be unnecessary.
    Krystal Nurse, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Bobby manages to save Chimney, who falls ill and starts coughing up blood while responding to the lab blaze.
    Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Governments couldn’t borrow money at home or abroad to save the banks or to meet their debt obligations, much less to spend their way out of the recession.
    JAVIER CORRALES, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Other West Coast marine mammal stranding facilities -- which rescue and rehabilitate marine animals -- have reported seeing the same.
    Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Loading your audio article SAN JOSE — Sharks captain Logan Couture did everything in his power to become a full-time NHL player again, spending countless hours rehabilitating his bothersome groin injury and visiting several specialists on the East and West Coasts to find a solution.
    Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • If your core isn’t doing its job, other muscles have to try and compensate.
    Danielle Zickl, SELF, 24 Apr. 2025
  • But Stafford, who’s entering the 17th season of a career which will land him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, wanted to be compensated at the market rate.
    Jay Paris, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • This could suggest that while attackers are targeting more victims, fewer are giving in to ransom demands.
    Sam Sabin, Axios, 7 Feb. 2025
  • While Mikhail managed to escape by climbing out a window and taking refuge in a nearby nunnery, the men took his son hostage, and Mikhail was not able to ransom him until several days later.
    Youmna Melhem Chamieh, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • In some cases, a text scammer will be able to extract enough of a response to track down the person’s social media accounts and lock them out and people are willing to pay to reclaim their accounts.
    Kevin Williams, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025
  • While Trump didn't explicitly endorse any specific plan to circumvent this rule, some have speculated that a scenario could unfold where Vice President JD Vance becomes president in 2028 and steps aside to allow Trump to reclaim the office.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The rest of the £637m refinancing was a £112m loan from Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BofA), of which £50m has since been repaid.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
  • The quickest, but hardest, is to repay the loans in full.
    Rachel Treisman, NPR, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Each sandwich is crafted with 100 percent real butter, the best real cheese, fresh-baked bread and real garlic for a crispy, cheesy, satisfying bite every time.
    Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
  • During a hearing on Monday, Sweeney expressed skepticism that the 24 hours notice that the administration had pledged to provide would satisfy the U.S. Supreme Court's April 7 order requiring migrants be given the opportunity to challenge their removals in court.
    Luc Cohen, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Redeem.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/redeem. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

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