1. Financial return or reward (especially returns equal to the initial investment)
   "The energy-saving upgrades provided a quick payback on the initial costs"
    
2. Punishment or retaliation inflicted in return for a wrong or injury
   "They feared payback from the people they had wronged";
   - vengeance, retribution

1. Give something in return for (actions or behaviour)
   "The company paid back its top performers with bonuses";
   - reward, repay, requite
    
2. Take vengeance on or get even
   "He finally paid back his old rival";
   - pay off, get, fix [informal]

Derived forms: paybacks, pays back, paying back, paid back

Type of: act, even up, get back, get even, issue, move, payoff, proceeds, retaliation, return, revenge, take, takings, yield

Encyclopedia: Payback