v. 1
To do (something good) after (something bad) happens.
v. 2
To pay or reward someone in exchange for work done or some other consideration.
It is hard work, but they will compensate you well for it.
v. 3
To make up for; to do something in place of something else; to correct, satisfy; to reach an agreement such that the scales are literally or (metaphorically) balanced; to equalize or make even.
His loud voice cannot compensate for a lack of personality.
v. 4
To adjust or adapt to a change, often a harm or deprivation.
To compensate for his broken leg, Gary uses crutches.

Related words

Word family: compensatable compensator compensation compensatory compensable

Forms

Past participle: compensated
e.g. compensated → recompensed, reimbursed, indemnified, satisfied…

satisfy The earth can satisfy our needs but not our greed.
repay I only wish there was some way I could repay you.
reimburse I'll reimburse you for the damage I did to your car.
balance The balance at the bank stands at two million yen.
counterbalance I don't exercise enough to counterbalance the amount of calories I take in.

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

3 letters: pay¹
5 letters: right¹, level², cover², adapt², repay², amend², atone²
6 letters: square¹, repair², reward², remedy³, redeem², equate²
7 letters: balance², correct², satisfy³, appease², rectify³, redress², gratify³, requite, expiate³
8 letters: accustom³
9 letters: reconcile³, reimburse³, indemnify⁴, acclimate³, restitute³
10 letters: counteract³, neutralize³, recompense³, neutralise, remunerate⁴
11 letters: accommodate⁴, acclimatize, acclimatise, countervail³
12 letters: counterpoise
14 letters: counterbalance⁴

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (level² = 2 syllables).