rentals

Meanings

1. 1nounplural

   Things such as cars, tools, or homes that you pay to use for a period of time.

   Grammar: Plural of 'rental'; takes a plural verb: 'The rentals are ready.'

   Patterns

   • rentals for something
   • short-term rentals
   • car rentals

   The company keeps a fleet of rentals for visiting staff.

   Short-term rentals in the city center fill up fast in summer.

   We compared three holiday rentals before booking one.

2. 2nounpluralbusiness

   The money paid regularly for the use of a home, vehicle, or piece of equipment.

   Grammar: Plural of 'rental'; used mainly in business or legal writing about payments.

   Patterns

   • collect rentals
   • rentals on something
   • high rentals

   The landlord collects rentals on the first of each month.

   Rentals on the new machines went up last year.

   Their records show all rentals received during the quarter.

Word forms

Common combinations

car rentals

Car rentals at the airport cost more than in town.

vacation rentals

Vacation rentals near the beach are booked months ahead.

short-term rentals

The council is reviewing rules for short-term rentals.

rental agreement

Read the rental agreement before you sign it.

rental car

We picked up the rental car at noon.

Synonyms and how they differ

leases

Leases usually last a long time and are written contracts, while rentals can be for a day or a week.

hire

British speakers often say 'hire' for cars and tools, where Americans say 'rentals'.

Word family

rent verb

to pay money to use something for a time.

rental noun

the singular form: one item you pay to use, or one payment.

renter noun

a person who pays to live in or use something.

rentable adjective

available to be rented out.

Commonly confused: rentals or rent? rentals or rents?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “rentals”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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