Meaning & use
indemnifies
Last updated
“indemnifies” is a form of “indemnify”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitivelegalformal
Promises to protect someone from loss or to pay them back if a loss happens.
Grammar: Takes an object: the person or thing being protected. Often followed by 'against' or 'for'.
Patterns
- indemnify someone against something
- indemnify someone for something
- indemnify someone against loss
The contract indemnifies the builder against claims from third parties.
Insurance indemnifies the homeowner for damage caused by fire.
The company indemnifies its directors against legal costs.
verbtransitivelegalfinance
Compensates someone for harm or money they have lost.
Grammar: Takes an object: the person who receives the compensation. Often used in legal or insurance contexts.
Patterns
- indemnify someone for something
- indemnify someone against something
The court ordered the company to indemnify the workers for their lost wages.
The policy indemnifies you for medical expenses after an accident.
We will indemnify you for any reasonable costs you incur.
Word forms
| base form | indemnify |
|---|---|
| third person singular | indemnifies |
| past tense | indemnified |
| past participle | indemnified |
| -ing form | indemnifying |
Common combinations
- indemnify against
- The agreement indemnifies the seller against future claims.
- indemnify for
- The insurance company will indemnify you for the loss.
- fully indemnify
- The client agreed to fully indemnify the consultant.
- indemnify a loss
- The fund is designed to indemnify any loss from the transaction.
Synonyms and how they differ
- compensate
- Compensate is more general and often means paying money for damage or injury; indemnify is more formal and legal, often used in contracts and insurance.
- reimburse
- Reimburse means paying someone back for money they already spent; indemnify can also mean protecting against future loss, not just paying back.
- insure
- Insure means arranging an insurance policy; indemnify is the promise to cover a loss, which may come from insurance or a contract.
Word family
- indemnity noun
- Security or protection against a loss, or compensation for a loss.
- indemnification noun
- The act of protecting someone from loss or the compensation given.
Commonly confused: indemnifies or indentifies?
indemnifies vs indentifies
Not a word; likely a confusion with 'identifies' (recognizes) or 'indemnifies' (protects against loss).
Practice
Complete the sentence: The contract ______ the supplier against any damage caused during delivery.
Choose one answer.
The correct form is 'indemnifies' because the subject 'contract' is third-person singular and the meaning is 'protects against loss'. 'Indemnify' is the base form and does not agree with the singular subject. 'Identifies' means 'recognizes', which does not fit the context. 'Indentifies' is not a word.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “indemnifies”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.