payment

noun

pay·​ment ˈpā-mənt 

1

: the act of paying

2

: something that is paid : pay

3

: requital

Synonyms

• paying

Examples of payment in a Sentence

Payment is due on the first of every month.

Prompt payment of your bill ensures that you will not have to pay any additional fees.

We require payment in advance for all goods purchased.

a payment plan to reduce your debt

cash, credit cards, and other methods of payment

Our records show that we received a payment of $215.36 in May.

Buy this product for three easy payments of only $19.95!

It took me five years to pay off the car, but I never missed a payment.

making payments on a loan

The credit card company just increased the penalty on late payments.

Recent Examples on the Web

The payment goes through my friend’s fiancé’s mother’s Tesla account, the poor woman accidentally footing the bill. —Joe Joyce, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025

Torre reports that Leonard was apparently not obligated to perform actions for payment and that the endorsement deal would end if Leonard was traded. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 5 Sep. 2025

In May, the West Memphis City Council unanimously approved two ordinances authorizing a $10 billion payment-in-lieu of taxes agreement between the city and an unnamed company. —Arkansas Online, 5 Sep. 2025

But the payments that brought billions in revenue to Tesla will now vanish. —Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing payment

• balloon payment
• co-payment
• down payment
• in payment
• on payment of
• stop payment
• transfer payment

Rhymes for payment

• claimant
• copayment
• embayment
• nonpayment
• prepayment
• repayment
• overpayment
• underpayment

Kids Definition

payment

noun

pay·​ment ˈpā-mənt 

1

: the act of paying

2

: money given to pay a debt

3

: pay entry 2 sense 2