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
There are also cabanas available for rent with sofa and lounge chair seating, a table, bottled water, a cooler and a television. —Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2025 In that same period, the neighborhood-wide rent increased by an average of $468 per month. —Calmatters, Mercury News, 29 May 2025
Verb
That means that more than 10,000 tourist apartments will have to be made available for locals to rent or purchase. —Pau Mosquera, CNN Money, 30 May 2025 The league pays around $750k annually to rent the fields and gyms that host the games. —Shikhar Sachdev, HubSpot, 30 May 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
  • On the All-Star Park field after an 8-1 victory over Regis Jesuit, teammates screamed and hugged as parents, overcome with emotion, wiped away tears.
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 31 May 2025
  • Inspect The Duvet's Condition Next, examine your duvet for any rips, tears, or stains.
    — Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 31 May 2025
Definition of tear
Noun
  • The brand’s bestsellers are the Essential Face Compact, the Lip Compact and the lip pencils, but the gap isn’t a huge one between her other products.
    — Hikmat Mohammed, Footwear News, 4 June 2025
  • With just three weeks until music fans head to Worthy Farm, Somerset, England (June 25-29), the festival has unveiled its full lineup and stage times for 2025 – complete with gaps for secret sets.
    — Sophie Williams, Billboard, 4 June 2025
Definition of gap
Verb
  • There is a funny trend within the trend, though: As Crain’s found, and a quick search of our own confirms, a bunch of these clinics have leased office space along a commercial strip on or just off Madison Avenue, forming a trippy little corridor around Grand Central.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 2 June 2025
  • OpenAI leases about 1 million square feet of space across five different locations in the city and employs roughly 2,000 people in San Francisco.
    — Wendy Lee, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2025
Definition of lease
Verb
  • After the Motsepe takeover in 2003, the club hired a series of high-profile managers, including the legendary Bulgarian forward Hristo Stoichkov and the late Dutch midfielder Johan Neeskens.
    — Simon Hughes, New York Times, 7 June 2025
  • Yet while hiring generally has slowed, other economists figured job growth remained sturdy last month as companies frustrated by labor shortages during the pandemic continued to curtail layoffs.
    — Paul Davidson, USA Today, 7 June 2025
Definition of hire
Noun
  • Later that evening, Henson appeared in a sculptural brown gown with a dramatic shoulder detail and high slit.
    — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 4 June 2025
  • Sheryl Lee Ralph Sheryl Lee Ralph attended the 2025 Gotham Television Awards in N.Y.C. in a black gown with a square neckline and thigh-high slit.
    — Catherine Santino, People.com, 3 June 2025
Definition of slit
Noun
  • Three holes were drilled in his skull to reduce the pressure on his brain (those holes were later filled with titanium plugs).
    — Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025
  • Despite his success, DeBoer’s tenure in Dallas will now be best remembered for his snap decision to pull starting goaltender Jake Oettinger after the Stars fell into an early 2-0 hole in their elimination game against Edmonton last week.
    — Carol Schram, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Definition of hole
Noun
  • At $24, the summer-ready Max Studio Women’s Sleeveless Split Maxi Dress has received a jaw-dropping $154 price slash, and its breathable, loose-fitting silhouette will surely keep you cool.
    — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 25 May 2025
  • Wayfair’s Memorial Day sale extravaganza has arrived, and we’re stunned by those 70-percent-off price slashes.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 20 May 2025
Definition of slash
Noun
  • But Mbappe chose to distance himself from that debate and his opening season was different to Ronaldo’s.
    — Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 28 May 2025
  • His first foul came at the 3:08 mark of the opening quarter, bumping Obi Toppin out of bounds on a drive.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 28 May 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 10 Jun. 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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