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
The average rent for all bedrooms in all property types in Denver is $2,205, while the average rent for all bedrooms in apartments and condos is $1,841, according to an early July Zillow analysis of the Colorado rental market. —Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 16 July 2025 While the Upland decision involved a licensing fee on marijuana dispensaries, a 2019 San Francisco Superior Court applied it to commercial rent tax and gross receipts tax measures. —Marc Joffe, Mercury News, 16 July 2025
Verb
Camping gear will be available to rent and use on one of six campsites. —Charlotte Observer, 11 July 2025 Frost allegedly spent $230,000 to rent a vacation home in Kennebunkport, Maine and $140,000 on jewelry. —Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 11 July 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
  • Exercise creates microscopic tears in your muscle tissues, which then triggers an inflammatory process in your body that results in that sore sensation, as SELF previously reported.
    — Jenny McCoy, SELF, 18 July 2025
  • In 2024, Rice suffered an ACL tear and played in only four games after a dominant rookie season.
    — David Close, CNN Money, 17 July 2025
Definition of tear
Noun
  • The budget office has traditionally leaned on slow-walking filling vacancies as one of its few tools to free up money, and the city ended 2024 with a $161 million deficit and expects a more than $1 billion gap next year.
    — Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 22 July 2025
  • Why The Northern Lights Are Being Seen In The U.S. The imminent potential display of aurora is due to a high-speed stream of solar wind coming from a coronal hole — a gap in the sun’s outer atmosphere, its corona, where solar wind escapes more freely into space.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
Definition of gap
Verb
  • The Enquirer excluded 11 people who wrote in but live outside Hamilton County and five comments that were neutral or not directly related to lease terms.
    — Erin Glynn, The Enquirer, 25 July 2025
  • Rather than selling robots as capital equipment, specialized financing companies purchase robots directly from manufacturers using low-cost debt, then lease them to end customers on subscription terms.
    — Aditya Ranjan, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
Definition of lease
Verb
  • These reports are not designed to render hiring decisions or recommendations but to present objective data that informs employer evaluations.
    — Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
  • Trustees voted 5-0 during Thursday’s meeting to hire Wilson, who has been serving as interim superintendent, and to authorize board president John Birt to finalize Wilson’s contract.
    — Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 July 2025
Definition of hire
Noun
  • Made with a blend of linen and rayon, these comfy pants are the perfect amount of baggy, with two convenient side pockets and side slits that add even more breathability.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 July 2025
  • Vonn also had an unfortunate mishap while walking the red carpet in a strapless dress with a daring slit that went all the way up to her hip bone, showing off her muscular leg and giving a glimpse of her underwear.
    — Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 17 July 2025
Definition of slit
Noun
  • Fans can take photos among immersive tableaus from the show, play a larger than life version of Alamo Pong — corn hole but with giant beer cans — and toss rings at Rhinestein’s cowboy boot toss.
    — Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 July 2025
  • Secure burn barrels: If burning is permitted in your area, ensure that all burn barrels have a weighted metal cover, complete with holes no larger than 3/4 of an inch.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2025
Definition of hole
Noun
  • Topline Congress appears to have backed off of deeper slashes to next year’s National Park Service budget, as advocacy groups mobilize public support through grassroots campaigns.
    — Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • A day after the disaster struck, the camp was a tableau of devastation, the walls marked with slashes of mud several feet from the ground, showing how high the flood waters reached.
    — Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 6 July 2025
Definition of slash
Noun
  • As noted above, the Latin America bows were all No. 1s while the regional debut saw the 3rd highest opening day of the year.
    — Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 26 July 2025
  • Trim trees; install storm shutters, accordion shutters, and/or impact glass; seal outside wall openings.
    — Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 26 July 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 29 Jul. 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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