pay for itself
idiom
: to save as much money over a period of time as something costs initially
windows that pay for themselves within five years by saving on heating costs
Examples of pay for itself in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
With just that perk, the card could pay for itself within a trip or two for a family.
—
Ana Teresa Solá, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2025
Others highlight that even the standard membership can pay for itself through gas savings alone.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2025
Deciding to build a water park, instead of a regular city pool, was actually an attempt to make this community asset pay for itself.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025
For example, engineering calculations might show that spending $1,000 on better insulation, more efficient appliances, or a higher-MPG vehicle would pay for itself in a few years through lower utility or fuel bills.
—James Broughel, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pay for itself
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Ana Teresa Solá, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2025
Others highlight that even the standard membership can pay for itself through gas savings alone.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2025
Deciding to build a water park, instead of a regular city pool, was actually an attempt to make this community asset pay for itself.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025
For example, engineering calculations might show that spending $1,000 on better insulation, more efficient appliances, or a higher-MPG vehicle would pay for itself in a few years through lower utility or fuel bills.
—James Broughel, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pay for itself
Cite this Entry
“Pay for itself.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pay%20for%20itself. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share