rent 1 of 2

noun

Definition of rentnext
1
as in tear
a long deep cut getting her skirt caught on a nail resulted in a four-inch rent that she couldn't possibly repair

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in gap
an open space in a barrier (as a wall or hedge) peered through the rent in the old garden wall for a glimpse of her mysterious new neighbor

Synonyms & Similar Words

rent

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to lease
to give the possession and use of (something) in return for periodic payment we rented the apartment to a college student for $500 a month

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to hire
to take or get the temporary use of (something) for a set sum will need to rent a car while we're in Europe

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word rent different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of rent are charter, hire, lease, and let. While all these words mean "to engage or grant for use at a price," rent stresses the payment of money for the full use of property and may imply either hiring or letting.

instead of buying a house, they decided to rent
will not rent to families with children

Where would charter be a reasonable alternative to rent?

The words charter and rent can be used in similar contexts, but charter applies to the hiring or letting of a vehicle usually for exclusive use.

charter a bus to go to the game

How are the words hire and let related as synonyms of rent?

Both hire and let, strictly speaking, are complementary terms, hire implying the act of engaging or taking for use and let the granting of use.

we hired a car for the summer
decided to let the cottage to a young couple

When would lease be a good substitute for rent?

The meanings of lease and rent largely overlap; however, lease strictly implies a letting under the terms of a contract but is often applied to hiring on a lease.

the diplomat leased an apartment for a year

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rent
Noun
By June 2021, Gov. Gavin Newsom lifted a business closure mandate, meaning the Browns would need to restart their rent payments and repay their deferred rent by December 2021. —Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2025 If this wage gap were eliminated, a woman could, on average, pay 12 months of rent or 9 months of health insurance premiums. —Melissa Santos, Axios, 1 Apr. 2025
Verb
The band had rented a cottage on the beach in Ditch Plains. —Richard Johnson, New York Daily News, 30 Mar. 2025 Residents can purchase for up to 15 years or rent their cabins for shorter periods. —Ron Hurtibise, Sun Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rent
  1. tear
  2. gap
  3. lease
  4. hire
  5. slit
  6. hole
  7. slash
  8. opening
Noun
  • The true culprit, a rambunctious zebra, tears through the screen and plunges a normal suburban home into tumult with the help of some other animals and a stash of fireworks.
    — Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 2 Apr. 2025
  • My mother-in-law had an expression of open-mouthed awe; her husband, for his part, seemed to be fighting back tears.
    — Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of tear
Noun
  • Solar power shows a smaller partisan gap, with Democrats preferring solar around 20 percentage points more than Republicans.
    — Dilnaz Hasim, Baltimore Sun, 5 Apr. 2025
  • There was much discussion during the Shameless years of the pay gap between stars Emmy Rossum and William H. Macy.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of gap
Verb
  • The team moved to north London, leasing the recreation fields in Highbury that would become their stadium, in 1913.
    — Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Each box costs $15,000 to $20,000 to lease and install.
    — Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of lease
Verb
  • The official also said many of the programs hit by the latest cuts were recently granted hiring privileges or had spending modifications to their contracts approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
    — Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 8 Apr. 2025
  • He was hired in 2015 after a 106-game stint with the Sacramento Kings.
    — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of hire
Noun
  • Macron opted for a dark navy midi dress with a slight slit on the skirt and a small anchor embellishment.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Featuring a snug fit from the waist to the thighs, the flared bottom has a low slit at each ankle to show off your best shoes.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of slit
Noun
  • Audi can make your 2010s niche racing dreams come true, in other words, which is probably a better way to spend the money burning a hole in your pocket than buying yet another supercar that will sit in a garage to be admired.
    — Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Their current stairs are in poor condition, with layers of plywood covering holes and structural issues.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of hole
Noun
  • House committees, for example, are mandated to find at least $1.5 trillion in spending cuts, while Senate panels have to find at least $4 billion in slashes — a fraction of the House’s amount.
    — Mychael Schnell, The Hill, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Hazel can pull, push, and even infiltrate the minds of the opposing spirits using her abilities, dodging and diving to avoid rogue slashes or a demonic helping of sludge.
    — Sarah Thwaites, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of slash
Noun
  • With the rule gone, Rodon, along with other Yankees, had beards on opening day.
    — Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • However, on the eve of opening day, Devers told WEEI's Rob Bradford that everything is fine.
    — Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of opening

Browse Nearby Words

renowns
rent
rentable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rent. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rent

Nglish: Translation of rent for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rent

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