payback

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Putting a positive spin on things, one could suggest that February was simply a payback month for better data in January.

From Barron's • Mar. 6, 2026

The moves are partly intended as payback for the school’s 2025 termination of former superintendent Cedric Wins.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

And I asked the class, “Do you think that the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was justified as payback for what the Japanese military had done in Nanjing?”

From Salon • Feb. 25, 2026

It also immediately dials up pressure on the White House from consumers and businesses who are seeking payback.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 20, 2026

His phone calls were just payback for the recent cushion he had given me.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee