paycheck

noun

pay·​check ˈpā-ˌchek How to pronounce paycheck (audio)
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.
Financial advisors recommend saving at least 20% of your monthly paycheck, but this has become increasingly difficult due to rising inflation, high interest rates, and stagnant wages. Muskaan Arshad, Fortune, 17 Sep. 2025 Work is less about vocation and more about earning a paycheck while people search for purpose elsewhere. John Winsor, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 When basic shelter eats half your paycheck, the whole local economy gets wobbly. Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025 Employers still are required to withhold taxes from each paycheck for Social Security and Medicare, which are referred to as FICA or payroll taxes. Susan Tompor, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2025 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 18 Sep. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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