owe
oh
Owe (verb) means to be required to pay money back to someone. Example: “I owe my neighbour some money for the groceries she bought.”
verb
1
To be required to pay money back to someone.
"I owe my neighbour some money for the groceries she bought."
"He still owes me twenty pounds from last week."
"The company owes millions in unpaid taxes."
2
To have something be due to another person because of what they did for you.
"We owe our teacher a great deal for believing in us."
"I owe you an apology for what I said."
"She owes her success to years of hard practice."
How to use owe
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo be in someone's debt, whether in money, thanks, or an explanation.
Common pairings
owe money
owe an apology
owe someone a favour
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- owes
- Past tense
- owed, ought, own
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
I _____ my neighbour some money for the groceries she bought.
Etymology
From Old English āgan, "to own" or "possess" — the same root that gave us "own" and "ought."
Synonyms
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be indebted
be in debt
be beholden
Rhymes for owe
See all rhymes for owe →Frequently asked questions
What does “owe” mean?
The word “owe” means to be required to pay money back to someone. In plain terms, to be in someone's debt, whether in money, thanks, or an explanation.
How do you pronounce “owe”?
“Owe” is pronounced oh (/oʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “owe” in a sentence?
Here is “owe” used in a sentence: “He still owes me twenty pounds from last week.”
What part of speech is “owe”?
“Owe” is a verb.
Where does the word “owe” come from?
The word “owe” comes from Old English. From Old English āgan, "to own" or "possess" — the same root that gave us "own" and "ought.".
Is “owe” a common word?
“Owe” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “owe” have?
“Owe” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to be required to pay money back to someone.
What is the difference between "owe" and "own"?
"Owe" means to be required to pay money or give something back to someone, while "own" means to possess something. They are easily confused in spelling but opposite in sense: you owe a debt but own property.
How do you use "owe" with two objects?
"Owe" often takes two objects, the person and the thing owed, as in "I owe you ten pounds" or "she owes the bank money." You can also say "owe something to someone," as in "I owe an apology to her."
What is the difference between "owe" and "borrow"?
"Borrow" is to take something temporarily with the intention of returning it, while "owe" describes the resulting obligation to pay or give it back. After you borrow money, you owe it.
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