phrasal verb🧩 phrasal verb

pay back

to repay a debt

What it means

To return money that you borrowed, or to do something bad to someone in revenge for what they did to you. The literal financial meaning is the most common use.

Examples

  • I'll pay you back as soon as I get my salary on Friday.
  • He paid back every penny of the loan within two years.
  • She wanted to pay him back for embarrassing her in public.
  • Thanks for covering dinner; I'll pay you back tomorrow.

Where it comes from

Separable: 'pay him back' or 'pay back the loan' both work. The noun form 'payback' is widely used for revenge, as in 'payback time'.

Related phrasal verbs

#give back#make up for#get away with#let down

🧩 Think you know your phrasal verbs?

Take the Phrasal Verbs Test — 20 terms, instant result, no signup.

Take the test

Built by the team behind Deep In.