indemnity

indemnity — noun

1. A formal promise, usually written into a contract or insurance policy, to pay so

1.nounC1
Definition

A formal promise, usually written into a contract or insurance policy, to pay someone for any financial loss, damage, or injury they may suffer.

Example

The builder's contract included an indemnity against damage to the neighbour's house.

indemnity against + noun phrase

After the fire, the shop owners received full indemnity from the insurance company.

receive + indemnity + from + source

Common collocations
  • full indemnity
  • financial indemnity
  • indemnity against loss
  • indemnity for damage
  • claim indemnity
  • pay indemnity
  • provide indemnity
  • receive indemnity
  • indemnity clause
Synonyms
  • compensation

    money paid after loss; indemnity is the promise, compensation is what is actually paid

  • insurance

    broader, everyday term; indemnity is a specific element of insurance

  • reimbursement

    focuses on getting money back for costs already spent; indemnity can cover future costs too

  • reparation

    implies making amends for wrongdoing; indemnity is more neutral

Antonyms
  • liability

    the state of being legally responsible for loss or damage

  • exposure

    the risk of suffering loss without protection

Grammar Patterns

indemnity + against + noun phrase

provide + indemnity

claim + indemnity

indemnity + for + noun phrase

Usage Note

Can be countable (an indemnity = a specific payment or promise) or uncountable (indemnity = the concept of protection). Frequently appears with 'against' to state the risk covered.

Common Mistakes

I bought an indemnity for my car.
I bought car insurance, which includes an indemnity clause.
'indemnity' is not a synonym for 'insurance policy'; it refers to the promise of payment within or outside of insurance.

2. A legal state in which a person or organization is freed from the responsibility

2.nounC1
Definition

A legal state in which a person or organization is freed from the responsibility to pay for damage, loss, or injury that has occurred.

Example

The charity workers were given legal indemnity from prosecution for helping refugees.

given + indemnity + from + prosecution

Owen signed a document granting him indemnity against any claims from the previous owner.

granting + indemnity + against + claims

Common collocations
  • legal indemnity
  • indemnity from liability
  • indemnity from prosecution
  • indemnity clause
  • grant indemnity
  • seek indemnity
  • written indemnity
  • full indemnity
Synonyms
  • immunity

    broader, can be legal or non-legal; indemnity is specifically contractual or statutory

  • exemption

    general term for being free from an obligation; indemnity is more specific to legal liability

  • protection

    more general; indemnity carries a legal or contractual force

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

indemnity + from + noun phrase

grant + indemnity

indemnity + clause

seek + indemnity

indemnity + against + liability

Usage Note

Always uncountable in this sense. Most common in formal legal writing. Distinguish from sense 1 (FINANCIAL PROTECTION), where the emphasis is on receiving payment; here the emphasis is on being set free from legal responsibility.

Common Mistakes

The company received an indemnity from taxes.
The company received an exemption from taxes.
'indemnity' relates to legal responsibility for damage or loss, not to tax.

Word family

  • indemnify
    verbC1
  • indemnification
    nounC1
  • indemnitor
    nounC2
  • indemnitee
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words relate to money paid after a loss, but they differ in timing and scope. Indemnity is a formal promise to pay before any loss happens — it is the guarantee, not necessarily the payment itself. Compensation is the money actually paid after a loss, often ordered by a court. Insurance is the broader product (a monthly policy) that may contain an indemnity promise as part of its terms. Reimbursement means getting back money you have already spent — narrower than indemnity, which can cover future losses too. Reparation is used for large-scale moral or historical wrongs (war damage, human rights abuses) rather than everyday accidents. For a business contract, say: 'The indemnity clause protects both parties.' For an expense you paid out of pocket, say: 'I will claim reimbursement from my employer.'

indemnity ↗compensation ↗insurance ↗reimbursement ↗reparation

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in return for indemnity
  • under an indemnity agreement
  • by way of indemnity

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'indemnitas', meaning 'freedom from loss or harm', based on 'indemnis' ('unhurt'), which combines 'in-' ('not') and 'damnum' ('loss, damage'). The word entered English through French legal language in the 1400s, originally used in court documents about guarantees against financial harm.