What does defray mean?
Defray means To pay or discharge (a debt, expense etc.); to meet (the cost of something)..
Defray
/dɪˈfɹeɪ/ · verb
Meaning
To pay or discharge (a debt, expense etc.); to meet (the cost of something)..
Definitions by Sense
- To pay or discharge (a debt, expense etc.); to meet (the cost of something).
- (archaic) To pay for (something).
- (obsolete) To spend (money).
Example Sentences
The expenses of the war, while in progress, were defrayed by executing rich men and confiscating their property.
Investors, meanwhile, got back a fraction of their money. Some say Mr Meinl’s €100m bail, paid by a source in Liechtenstein, should be used to defray their losses.
In order to help defray the substantial costs involved, they then raised revenue through taking advertisements.
With his legal maneuverings, Trump is showing that he also understands the implications of this election — one that could give him substantial powers as president to defray or dismiss many of the legal threats that he’s facing and to behave in office without future accountability.
Synonyms for defray
Antonyms for defray
Related Words
Word Forms
- defrays
- defraying
- defrayed
Usage Notes
Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.
Practice and Learn More
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a synonym for defray?
Common synonyms include finance, fray, offset.
What is the opposite of defray?
The opposite depends on the specific sense.
How do you use defray in a sentence?
The expenses of the war, while in progress, were defrayed by executing rich men and confiscating their property.
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.