paycheck

noun

pay·​check ˈpā-ˌchek How to pronounce paycheck (audio)
Synonyms of paychecknext
1
: a check in payment of wages or salary
2

Examples of paycheck in a Sentence

I went to the office to pick up my paycheck. Your weekly paycheck will be almost $600 after taxes.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
They were just stuck in a paycheck-to-paycheck rut like their neighbors and 29% of American families who qualify as the working poor. Suzanne Van Atten, AJC.com, 28 June 2026 Recent research by Gusto the payroll processor West uses to cut his own paycheck, shows that nearly 60% of new business owners in 2025 used AI to set up their businesses, with usage highest in professional services businesses. Elaine Pofeldt, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026 The writer-director has been crafting stories of tough-talking guys ever since (with the occasional paycheck diversion into something like the live-action Aladdin). Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 26 June 2026 More than eight in 10 households headed by someone under 25 are also living paycheck to paycheck. Jessica Lipscomb, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for paycheck

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of paycheck was in 1899

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Paycheck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paycheck. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

paycheck

noun
pay·​check ˈpā-ˌchek How to pronounce paycheck (audio)
: a check in payment of wages or salary

More from Merriam-Webster on paycheck

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster