recoupment: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1-C2Formal, Technical
Quick answer
What does “recoupment” mean?
The act of recovering or regaining something lost or spent, typically money or costs.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The act of recovering or regaining something lost or spent, typically money or costs.
A legal or financial mechanism allowing recovery of losses, expenses, or damages through offsetting, compensation, or deduction from future gains.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning. Both use the term predominantly in legal/financial domains.
Connotations
Neutral financial/legal term in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more common in American legal and corporate documents, but widely recognized in UK finance.
Grammar
How to Use “recoupment” in a Sentence
recoupment of [losses/expenses/costs]recoupment from [source/funds/profits]recoupment through [means/mechanism]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “recoupment” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The firm hopes to recoup its investment within five years.
- They sought to recoup losses from the failed venture.
American English
- The company will recoup the startup costs through sales.
- He recouped his expenses from the settlement.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverb form.
American English
- No standard adverb form.
adjective
British English
- No common adjectival form directly from 'recoupment'. 'Recoupable' is used: 'These are recoupable expenses.'
American English
- No common adjectival form directly from 'recoupment'. 'Recoupable' is used: 'The costs are recoupable under the agreement.'
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The company's strategy includes recoupment of R&D costs through premium pricing.
Academic
The paper analyses recoupment mechanisms in public-private partnerships.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation; might appear in formal discussions about expenses.
Technical
The contract clause provides for recoupment of overpayments via future invoice deductions.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “recoupment”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “recoupment”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “recoupment”
- Using 'recoupment' for simple repayment between friends (too formal).
- Confusing with 'recoup' (verb) in structure: 'the recoupment' vs 'to recoup'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. Reimbursement is paying back for exact expenses incurred. Recoupment often involves recovering a loss or cost from a different source or over time, and can be partial.
It is very rare in casual speech. It is primarily a formal term used in business, law, and finance.
'Recoup' is the verb (the action). 'Recoupment' is the noun (the process, act, or right of recouping).
Overwhelmingly yes, but it can be extended metaphorically to non-financial contexts (e.g., recoupment of time, effort), though this is less common.
The act of recovering or regaining something lost or spent, typically money or costs.
Recoupment is usually formal, technical in register.
Recoupment: in British English it is pronounced /rɪˈkuːpmənt/, and in American English it is pronounced /rɪˈkuːpmənt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms use 'recoupment' specifically.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'RE-COUP' (getting your cup filled again) + 'MENT' (the process) = the process of getting your resources back.
Conceptual Metaphor
FINANCIAL LOSS IS A HOLE / RECOUPMENT IS FILLING THE HOLE.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'recoupment' LEAST likely to be used?