WordGarden.ioowe
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /ˈəʊ/
US
- /ˈoʊ/
Meanings
Verb
to have to pay or repay money
to be expected to give someone something such as thanks, an apology, or help
to have because of someone or something else; be attributable to
Beyond the definition
To owe someone something is often about money, but not always. It means you have to give, do, or say something because of what happened before. If you borrow money from a friend, you owe it back. If someone helps you in a hard moment, you may feel that you owe them thanks or a favor later.
You can also owe someone an apology if you hurt their feelings, or owe a reply when people are waiting to hear from you. Sometimes the word shows cause rather than debt: "I owe my success to my parents" means my success happened in large part because of them. In all these cases, the idea is the same: something is due because of a duty, help, or past action.
To owe means to be under obligation to pay or repay someone—whether that repayment is monetary, a favor, or something else entirely. It's rooted in the idea of debt but extends far beyond just financial transactions.
The most common usage involves money: "I owe the bank $500 for the car repair." But you can also owe someone thanks, an apology, an explanation, or a favor. If a friend helps you move, you might say, "I owe you one!" meaning you'll help them in the future. This sense is not always about exact repayment; it is about recognizing that something should be given in return.
The word carries a sense of responsibility. You can owe an explanation for your actions, owe loyalty to a friend, or even owe it to yourself to make a change you have been putting off. In each case, there is a feeling that something is deserved, expected, or required.
Historically, the word comes from Old English, meaning "to possess"—interestingly enough! Over time, its meaning shifted to reflect the idea of being bound by a debt or duty.
So whether you are talking about unpaid money, a thank-you that should be said, or success that came from another person's help, owe points to a debt, duty, or cause. It is a word for what remains to be paid back, given back, or credited to someone.
Examples
- 1
Personal debt
I still owe my sister twenty dollars for lunch.
- 2
Repair bill
How much do we owe for the repairs?
- 3
Apology
You owe me an apology after what you said.
- 4
Gratitude
We owe a big thank-you to the nurses who stayed late.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Returning a favor
Thanks for covering my shift. I owe you one.
- PhraseI owe you one
I will do a favor for you in return someday
- 6
Self-care advice
You owe it to yourself to take a real vacation.
- Patternowe it to yourself to do X
should do it because it is good for you
- 7
Source of confidence
She owes her confidence to years of practice.
- Patternowe X to someone/something
have X because of them or because of that thing
- 8
Literary influence
The movie owes more to old detective stories than to modern thrillers.
- Patternowe more to A than to B
be influenced more by A than by B
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- oweverb
Forms
- owedpast tenseverb
- owing-ing formverb
- owesverb