compensate vs compensate for

Both "compensate" and "compensate for" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "Compensate" is a verb that means to make up for something, while "compensate for" is a phrasal verb that also means to make up for something but is followed by the cause or reason for the compensation.

Last updated: April 06, 2024 • 424 views

The word "compensate" is a verb that means to make up for something.

"compensate"

Use "compensate" when you want to indicate that someone is making up for a loss, injury, or mistake.

Examples:

The company compensated the workers for the overtime they had to work.
He compensated for his lack of experience by working extra hard.

Show examples from the web [+]

Colors are adjusted between images to compensate for exposure differences.
The abundant distribution of glossy brochures cannot compensate for this.
Somebody will have to compensate the Cartagena designer Edgar Gómez.
Your offers don't begin to compensate...
Temporary jobs can only partly compensate for this.
Electric vehicles compensate for this irregularity through their own special features.
Traditional adhesives need high bond strengths to compensate for the shrinkage.
To compensate the fluctuations in the production...
I can adjust the field symmetry to compensate.
This it will compensate completely Your passed error.
We need to adjust the trajectory At launch to compensate.
The shield has to draw extra power In order to compensate.
I'll give you $10K to compensate.
You need to understand that I must compensate for my height.
The human body is designed to compensate for lose
She had to do something to compensate for being named Prudence.
It's to compensate for their larger brains.
But I'm learning to compensate with my left.
Transfers blood from a healthy person in order to compensate for exsanguination.
Your heart is working way too hard to compensate for your bad valve.

Alternatives:

reimburse
make amends
offset
remunerate
indemnify

The phrase "compensate for" is a phrasal verb that means to make up for something and is followed by the cause or reason for the compensation.

"compensate for"

Use "compensate for" when you want to specify the reason or cause for the compensation.

Examples:

She compensated for her lack of preparation by studying extra hours.
The company compensated for the delay by offering a discount.

Show examples from the web [+]

You need to understand that I must compensate for my height.
Temporary jobs can only partly compensate for this.
Electric vehicles compensate for this irregularity through their own special features.
Can you compensate for the interference by using pattern enhancers?
Even if you lost some neurons, other can compensate for that.
Learning new skills helps the brain create new connections that can compensate for damaged ones.
In other words, they must smoothly compensate for the rotation of the Earth.
The β-cells must compensate for this by either increasing insulin production or proliferating.
By 29 January, pumps could not compensate for leakage.
Jim Fosgate designed the XT-R to effectively reduce crosstalk and correct or compensate for axial tilt.
Between these legs is fixed the intermediate part, compensate for missing teeth.
To help compensate for the lack of skilled professionals, automated solutions must become more sophisticated.
It helps compensate for oxidative stress, reduces inflammation and improves the capacity of the liver for detoxification.
Particularly compact and precise new generation load cells, which automatically compensate for variations in temperature.
The administration of Nonafact can compensate for this deficiency.
Adaptive optics compensate for the blurring effect of the...
These revolutionaries compensate for their small numbers by sustained militancy, characterized by the use of mass assemblies.
Attractions Tunisia compensate for the small size of the country.
The proximity to the city and quickly erlaufbare nice environment ringing compensate for it.

Alternatives:

make up for
offset
recompense for
make good on
make restitution for

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