repaid the loan

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "repaid the loan" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing the act of paying back borrowed money. Example: "After a year of hard work, she finally repaid the loan." Alternative expressions include "paid off the loan" and "settled the loan."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

25 human-written examples

In 1998 American loaned $8 million to the home builder, which repaid the loan when American sold its stake in 2002.

Forbes

She repaid the loan.

The New York Times - Arts

He repaid the loan last month and voices no regrets.

The New York Times

Each time, she repaid the loan as soon as she got her paycheck.

The New York Times

In an interview, Mr. Karzai said he repaid the loan in full.

The New York Times

It's less well known that the West repaid the loan with interest.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

35 human-written examples

By the mid-'80s, Chrysler had repaid the loans.

The New York Times

He later repaid the loans but did not explain why he had needed the money.

The New York Times

The bailout worked, and Mexico repaid the loans, plus a billion dollars in interest.

The New York Times

Wright referred to his shy, bookish patron as "my best friend," borrowed $70,000 from him over the years and never repaid the loans.

The New York Times - Arts

But Ms. Chavez said during her Senate campaign that she repaid the loans when she became a federal employee and her nonpayments were uncovered.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In formal reports, ensure the subject is clear to avoid ambiguity about who fulfilled the financial obligation.

Common error

Avoid saying "repaid back the loan". Since the prefix "re-" in repaid already signifies the act of returning, adding "back" creates a tautology that is considered poor style in formal writing.

Linguistic Context

As noted by Ludwig, the phrase "repaid the loan" functions as a transitive verb phrase consisting of the past tense verb "repaid" and its direct object "the loan". It serves to indicate the successful fulfillment of a financial contract.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Science

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "repaid the loan" is a standard and highly reliable expression in English. According to Ludwig AI and analyzed examples, it is the preferred term in journalism and business to describe the act of returning borrowed capital. It conveys a clear sense of completion and financial responsibility. While synonyms like "paid off" are equally correct, "repaid the loan" maintains a slightly higher degree of formality suitable for professional contexts. Writers should avoid the common mistake of adding "back" to the verb to maintain a crisp and professional style.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

paid off the loan

emphasizes the finality and complete settlement of the debt

settled the debt

carries a slightly more formal or legal connotation

cleared the balance

often used in banking or credit card contexts

reimbursed the lender

focuses on the entity that provided the funds

returned the funds

a more general description of returning money

liquidated the loan

a technical term often used in corporate finance

discharged the obligation

highly formal or legalistic phrasing

amortized the debt

refers to paying off debt through a schedule of regular installments

honored the debt

implies a sense of moral or ethical responsibility

covered the borrowing

less formal and often used in business discussions

FAQs

How do I use "repaid the loan" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe the completion of a payment, for example: "After five years of saving, the entrepreneur finally "repaid the loan" to the bank."

What can I say instead of "repaid the loan"?

Depending on the tone, you could use "paid off the loan" for emphasis on completion, or "settled the debt" for a more formal context.

Is it correct to say "repaid back the loan"?

No, it is redundant. It is better to simply use ""repaid the loan"" or "paid back the loan".

What is the difference between "repaid the loan" and "repaid the credit"?

While similar, ""repaid the loan"" usually refers to a specific sum borrowed for a set period, whereas "repaid the credit" might refer to a revolving line of credit or a general balance.