CEFR B1

owe

verb

Meaning

To be under obligation to pay or repay money, or to feel that you should do something for someone because they have done something for you.

Examples

I still owe my brother $50 from last week.
You owe me a favor for helping you move.

Synonyms: be indebted to, be liable for, be in debt, be obligated to

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owe (B1)

verb

Pronunciation: /oʊ/

Definition

To be under obligation to pay or repay money, or to feel that you should do something for someone because they have done something for you.

Examples

I still owe my brother $50 from last week.
You owe me a favor for helping you move.
The company owes a lot of money to its suppliers.

How to Use owe

owe to (prepositional phrase): To attribute success or a quality to someone or something. — "She owes her success to hard work and determination."
owe someone something (collocation): To be under an obligation to give money or a favor to a person. — "I owe you a coffee for listening to my problems."

Synonyms of owe

Words with a similar meaning to owe:

Antonyms of owe

Words with the opposite meaning to owe:

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