payable

adjective

pay·​able ˈpā-ə-bəl 

1

: that may, can, or must be paid

2

: profitable

Synonyms of payable

• unpaid
• outstanding

Examples of payable in a Sentence

She charges her patients $3,000, payable in installments.

keep the bills payable separate from the receipts

Recent Examples on the Web

The legal filing alleges that from 2018 to 2025, the brothers enriched themselves by falsely inflating invoices for accounts receivable and payable, falsifying financial statements and hiding substantial liabilities from lenders, among other practices. —Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026

During a records review, detectives spotted a hurricane disaster relief insurance payment that included a management fee payable to Curtis, 38, of Pompano Beach. —Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026

With payments of settlements and legal fees, except in clear physical injury cases, most defendants do duplicate reporting, so that a check payable jointly to plaintiff and lawyer will be 100% reported to the plaintiff, and 100% reported to the lawyer. —Robert W. Wood, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026

Notably, benefits would still be payable, as the program would have money coming in from payroll taxes. —Lorie Konish, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing payable

• account payable

Rhymes for payable

• playable
• repayable

Kids Definition

payable

adjective

pay·​able ˈpā-ə-bəl 

: that may, can, or must be paid

accounts payable

Legal Definition

payable

adjective

pay·​able

: that may, can, or must be paid