pay down

verb

paid down; paying down; pays down

transitive verb

: to reduce (a debt) by repaying in part

Examples of pay down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Whether the Dodgers would want to part with one of their clubhouse leaders, and whether another team would be interested in taking on (or the Dodgers would pay down) any of those contracts, remains to be seen. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026

The result can be a frustrating cycle in which borrowers repeatedly pay down balances only to rebuild them when another expense arises. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026

Davis suggested looking at new tools like using cryptocurrency as a way to help pay down the debt and strengthen Social Security’s solvency. — Eric Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026

Tesla investor Hy Luu, for example, refinanced his home to raise $30,000 to pay down margin debt during the stock's 2022 decline. — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1975, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pay down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown