owe
Meaning in simple English, pronunciation and examples
Pronunciation: US /oʊ/ · UK /əʊ/
Forms: owes, owed
owe means: To need to pay money or give something to someone because you have received something from them.
verb
To need to pay money or give something to someone because you have received something from them.
- I owe you ten pounds.
- She owes money to the bank.
- How much do we owe for dinner?
To feel you must repay someone with money, help, or a favour.
- Thanks for helping; I owe you one.
- She felt she owed him for his kindness.
- You saved my evening, and I really owe you.
To have someone or something to thank for something good in your life.
- I owe my success to my parents.
- She owes a lot to her first teacher.
- He owed his life to the rescue team.
To have a duty to give someone something or do something for them.
- You owe her an apology.
- We owe our children a safe home.
- I felt I owed him an explanation.
To be caused by, or exist because of, something.
- The film’s appeal owes much to its music.
- The delay owed to a shortage of staff.
- Their success owes partly to careful planning.
To have debts that you still need to pay.
- I cannot borrow more while I still owe.
- She owes heavily after buying the farm.
- Even after selling everything, they still owed.
Questions about owe
What does owe mean?
To need to pay money or give something to someone because you have received something from them.
What is owe in other languages?
Türkçe: borçlu olmak · Español: deber · Français: devoir · Deutsch: schulden · Italiano: dovere · 日本語: 借りがある
How do you pronounce owe?
In American English /oʊ/; in British English /əʊ/.
How do you use owe in a sentence?
I owe you ten pounds. She owes money to the bank.
Learn owe while you read
LookItUp shows the meaning that fits your sentence, in your language, and turns new words into quick practice cards.
Coming soon on the App Store LookItUp app for iPhone and iPadPhrases with owe
- owe someone one
- owe out