ratepayer

noun

rate·​pay·​er ˈrāt-ˌpā-ər 

1

British : taxpayer

2

: one who pays for a utility service and especially electricity according to established rates

Examples of ratepayer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The better choice is to compete and to set the terms of competition so development respects ratepayers, land, water and neighboring communities, while strengthening the energy infrastructure that every Hoosier depends upon. — Jeff Danielson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2026

Hernandez said the city may need to raise fees to those other entities instead of relying only on city ratepayers. — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Sacramento County’s waste program is funded entirely by ratepayers, not county tax revenue, so increases in labor, fuel and equipment costs threaten the program’s solvency, according to a county news release. — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026

Senator Jon Husted, a Republican from Ohio, speaks during a roundtable on a ratepayer protection pledge in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. — Justin Papp, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ratepayer

• interlayer
• monolayer
• multilayer
• multiplayer
• overlayer
• assayer
• ballplayer
• betrayer
• bilayer
• bricklayer
• conveyer
• conveyor