verb
redeem
rih-DEEM
verb
1
To exchange a voucher, points, or a bond for cash or its stated value.
"She redeemed her gift card for a new pair of shoes."
"You can redeem the loyalty points at checkout."
2
To make up for a fault or bad situation, or to restore someone's good reputation.
"He tried to redeem himself after missing the deadline by working through the weekend."
"A strong second half redeemed what had been a poor performance."
3
In religious use, to save someone from sin or wrongdoing.
"The sermon focused on being redeemed through faith."
How to Use Redeem
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo cash something in, or to make up for a mistake and restore your standing.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "redeem" meaning to simply return an item — it specifically means exchanging something (voucher, points, bond) for its value, or making amends.
Common pairings
redeem a voucher
redeem yourself
redeem points
Word Forms
redeemed past tense, redeems singular
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She _____ her gift card for a new pair of shoes.
Etymology
From Old French redimer, ultimately Latin redimere — red- (\"back\") plus emere (\"to buy\") — literally \"to buy back.\"