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

Positive signal for the jobs market ahead of Friday's nonfarm payrolls report. —Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026

The Knicks will not have room on their payroll to stay beneath the second apron, re-sign Mitchell Robinson to a contract extension and match a competing offer when Diawara becomes a free agent. —Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026

Prior to the acquisition, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said his goal was to try and protect the 13,000 employees who already worked in the area on Cerner’s payroll. —Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026

By June 2022, nonfarm payrolls surpassed pre-pandemic levels. —Jake Angelo, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026

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