payroll

noun

pay·​roll ˈpā-ˌrōl 

1

: a paymaster's or employer's list of those entitled to pay and of the amounts due to each

2

: the sum necessary for distribution to those on a payroll

also : the money to be distributed

Examples of payroll in a Sentence

They cut him from their payroll.

He's the manager of a baseball team with a $50 million payroll.

Businesses are keeping their payrolls low by embracing new technologies.

Recent Examples on the Web

Only the Miami Marlins, with an $84.7 million payroll, are lower than the White Sox. —Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 12 June 2025

Homan, a career law enforcement official and former acting head of ICE, is on the White House payroll and likely does not have direct arrest powers. —Davis Winkie, USA Today, 10 June 2025

About half of the plant’s 632 workers will remain on Blue Diamond’s payroll until the final phase of the shutdown, the notice said. —Annika Merrilees, Sacbee.com, 10 June 2025

After all, three out of four manufacturers in this country have less than 20 employees on the payroll. —Ethan Karp, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1740, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing payroll

• payroll deduction
• payroll tax

Rhymes for payroll

• bankroll
• bedroll
• borehole
• cajole
• catchpole
• charcoal
• condole
• control
• dipole
• downhole
• enroll
• extol

Kids Definition

payroll

noun

pay·​roll ˈpā-ˌrōl 

1

: a list of persons entitled to receive pay with the amounts due to each

2

: the amount of money necessary to pay those on a payroll