Owe Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary

The Britannica Dictionary mobile search

• Home
• Ask the Editor
• Word of the Day
• Quizzes
• Core Vocabulary
• Browse the Dictionary

×

• Britannica Homepage
• Ask the Editor
• Word of the Day
• Quizzes
• Core Vocabulary
• Browse the Dictionary

The Britannica Dictionary owe 3 ENTRIES FOUND:

• owe (verb)
• debt (noun)
• thanks (noun)

owe /ˈoʊ/ verb owes; owed; owing owe /ˈoʊ/ verb owes; owed; owing Britannica Dictionary definition of OWE 1 : to need to pay or repay money to a person, bank, business, etc. [+ object]

• I still owe money on the car. [=I have not yet paid back all the money I borrowed to buy the car]
• We owe no income tax.
• He owes me $5.
• Don't I owe money to you? = Don't I owe you money?
• I owe the bank a lot of money.
• Additional payments are owed on the mortgage.
• How much is owed? = What is the amount owed?
• How much do I owe (you) for this?

[+] more examples [-] hide examples [+] Example sentences [-] Hide examples [no object]

• I still owe on the car.

[+] more examples [-] hide examples [+] Example sentences [-] Hide examples 2 [+ object] a : to need to do or give something to someone who has done something for you or given something to you

• I owe you a drink/favor.
• I owe you my thanks.
• (informal) What do you mean you won't help? You owe me!
• She still owes me for all the times I've helped her out.
• Thanks for your help. I owe you one. [=I will give you help when you need it]

[+] more examples [-] hide examples [+] Example sentences [-] Hide examples b — used to say that something should be done for or given to someone

• You owe me an explanation.
• I owe you an apology.
• The senator is owed a degree of respect. [=the senator deserves some respect]
• We owe it to the veterans to build a memorial. [=we should build a memorial to honor and thank the veterans]
• You owe it to yourself to have fun. [=you deserve to let yourself have fun]
• He owes it to himself to travel while he still can.

[+] more examples [-] hide examples [+] Example sentences [-] Hide examples 3 [+ object] — used to indicate the person or thing that made something possible

• She owes her family for her success. [=her family enabled her to become successful]

[+] more examples [-] hide examples [+] Example sentences [-] Hide examples — often + to

• I owe my success to my teachers. [=my teachers deserve credit for my success]
• She owes her success to hard work. [=she has succeeded because of hard work]
• He owes his wealth to his father.
• He owes his fame to several movies. [=he is famous because he was in several movies]
• His success owes more to luck than skill. [=is more because of luck than skill]
• I owe my life to the surgeon's skill. [=the surgeon's skill saved my life]
• We owe our understanding of gravity to Newton.

[+] more examples [-] hide examples [+] Example sentences [-] Hide examples

owe a debt of gratitude/thanks to someone

— see debt ASK THE EDITOR

What are the plural forms of check-in, passerby, and spoonful? See the answer »

QUIZZES Vocabulary Quiz Test your word power Take the Quiz » Name That Thing Take our visual quiz Test Your Knowledge » WORD OF THE DAY

transparency : the quality of being transparent and not secretive Learn More »

1. About Us & Legal Info
2. Contact Us
3. Privacy Notice
4. Terms of Use
5. Pronunciation Symbols
6. Help

© 2025 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.