paid
ˈpād 
also in sense 7 payed; paying
also in sense 7 payed; paying
1
a
: to make due return to for services rendered or property delivered
paid the pizza deliverer
b
: to engage for money : hire
You couldn't pay me to do that.
paid a teenager to mow his lawn
2
a
: to give in return for goods or service
pay wages
b
: to discharge indebtedness for : settle
pay a bill
c
: to make a disposal or transfer of (money)
paid a few dollars weekly into a savings account
3
: to give or forfeit in expiation or retribution
pay the penalty
4
a
: to make compensation (see compensation sense 2) for
His trouble was well paid in the end.
b
: to requite according to what is deserved
pay them back
5
: to give, offer, or make freely or as fitting
pay attention
pay your respects
6
a
: to return value or profit to
it pays you to stay open
b
: to bring in as a return
an investment paying five percent
7
: to slacken (something, such as a rope) and allow to run out
—used with out
paid out the rope as it jerked taut
1
: to discharge a debt or obligation
I'll pay when I have the money.
2
: to be worth the expense or effort
crime doesn't pay
3
: to suffer the consequences of an act
He paid for his crime.
1
: something paid for a purpose and especially as a salary or wage : remuneration
2
a
: the act or fact of paying or being paid
b
: the status of being paid by an employer : employ
3
: a person viewed with respect to reliability or promptness in paying debts or bills
4
a
: ore or a natural deposit that yields metal and especially gold in profitable amounts
b
: an oil-yielding stratum or zone
1
: containing or leading to something precious or valuable
2
: equipped with a coin slot for receiving a fee for use
a pay telephone
3
: requiring payment
Synonyms
Examples of pay in a Sentence
Noun
He has been suspended without pay pending the results of the investigation.
Each pay period begins on the first of the month.
Workers received a $4,000 pay increase.
I took a significant pay cut when I took this job, but I think it was worth it.
Recent Examples on the Web
Todd Spangler, Variety, 4 Dec. 2023
All told, prosecutors say tens of thousands of dollars changed hands in this gruesome years-long scheme: One indictment states that Pauley sent Taylor more than $40,000; Lampi paid Pauley more than $8,000; and Pauley paid Lampi more than $100,000.
—Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 4 Dec. 2023
People pay to be closer to the source of inspiration.
—Tad Friend, The New Yorker, 4 Dec. 2023
The businesswoman, 42, paid tribute to the singer with a post shared on Instagram Saturday marking the special occasion.
—Nicholas Rice, Peoplemag, 3 Dec. 2023
Preti paid around that cost for her son's care and one-and-a-half times the rate if the nanny worked more than 40 hours.
—Madison Medeiros, Parents, 3 Dec. 2023
These days most of us use credit cards to pay for everything from coffee to plane tickets to purchases on Amazon.
—Ana Staples, wsj.com, 2 Dec. 2023
But the outlook is worse for transportation projects scheduled to begin in several years, partly because of rising construction costs and declining revenue streams dedicated to paying for them.
—Erin Cox, Washington Post, 2 Dec. 2023
Few government agencies touch the lives of more Americans than the Social Security Administration — the agency pays $1.4 trillion in benefits to more than 71 million people every year.
—Mark Miller, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2023
Caitlin Harrington, WIRED, 5 Dec. 2023
After Charter Communications and Disney created a new industry template for traditional pay TV with their new Spectrum carriage deal, expect more streaming content to be included in the traditional cable bundle and less popular linear TV channels to be dropped.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2023
The union wants to increase the salary floor for full-time lecturers, many of whom start at the bottom of the pay scale.
—Debbie Truong, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2023
With the strides made up until this point, the reality is that the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the gender pay gap.
—Allison Robinson, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
Two current Loyal Source employees interviewed by The Post have also cited low pay and a lack of bonuses for remote postings as the main source of the company’s staffing shortages.
—Nick Miroff, Washington Post, 30 Nov. 2023
Both guilds obtained job protections against AI abuse, including consent and protection against diminishment of pay.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 29 Nov. 2023
Nissan said its 9,000 U.S. workers would get raises of about 10% and would end a two-tiered pay system.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2023
Before the deal, union leaders crafted a strike pay plan and picket lines across the Strip.
—Sahil Kapur, NBC News, 22 Nov. 2023
Benjamin Ryan, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2023
In August, the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute, the Diabetes Leadership Council, and the Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition filed a lawsuit challenging the federal rule that allows co-pay accumulators.
—Katie Wedell, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2022
The hope is that CNN+ will serve as a gateway to a post-pay TV world, connecting the brand’s familiar red and white letters to a generation of viewers who are growing up without cable.
—Stephen Battaglio Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2022
The drug is so expensive at the wholesale level that private insurers place it in the highest co-pay categories; some won’t allow doctors to prescribe it without their prior approval, further narrowing patients’ access.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2022
More than 775 people have already signed up for the company's pre-pay membership, Precompose.
—Eileen Finan, PEOPLE.com, 17 June 2021
Or an expansion of co-pay coupons to Medicare, where they’re now banned?
—Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 16 Oct. 2020
See More
Verb
Under such reseller deals, Verizon typically pays a per-subscriber wholesale rate to its service provider partners.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 4 Dec. 2023
All told, prosecutors say tens of thousands of dollars changed hands in this gruesome years-long scheme: One indictment states that Pauley sent Taylor more than $40,000; Lampi paid Pauley more than $8,000; and Pauley paid Lampi more than $100,000.
—Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 4 Dec. 2023
People pay to be closer to the source of inspiration.
—Tad Friend, The New Yorker, 4 Dec. 2023
The businesswoman, 42, paid tribute to the singer with a post shared on Instagram Saturday marking the special occasion.
—Nicholas Rice, Peoplemag, 3 Dec. 2023
Preti paid around that cost for her son's care and one-and-a-half times the rate if the nanny worked more than 40 hours.
—Madison Medeiros, Parents, 3 Dec. 2023
These days most of us use credit cards to pay for everything from coffee to plane tickets to purchases on Amazon.
—Ana Staples, wsj.com, 2 Dec. 2023
But the outlook is worse for transportation projects scheduled to begin in several years, partly because of rising construction costs and declining revenue streams dedicated to paying for them.
—Erin Cox, Washington Post, 2 Dec. 2023
Few government agencies touch the lives of more Americans than the Social Security Administration — the agency pays $1.4 trillion in benefits to more than 71 million people every year.
—Mark Miller, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2023
Noun
When the pilots’ union negotiated a contract with the company in 2018, pilots’ pay, benefits, and schedules were competitive with similar airlines, says Josh Hoy, a captain who started at the airline seven years ago.
—Caitlin Harrington, WIRED, 5 Dec. 2023
After Charter Communications and Disney created a new industry template for traditional pay TV with their new Spectrum carriage deal, expect more streaming content to be included in the traditional cable bundle and less popular linear TV channels to be dropped.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2023
The union wants to increase the salary floor for full-time lecturers, many of whom start at the bottom of the pay scale.
—Debbie Truong, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2023
With the strides made up until this point, the reality is that the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the gender pay gap.
—Allison Robinson, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
Two current Loyal Source employees interviewed by The Post have also cited low pay and a lack of bonuses for remote postings as the main source of the company’s staffing shortages.
—Nick Miroff, Washington Post, 30 Nov. 2023
Both guilds obtained job protections against AI abuse, including consent and protection against diminishment of pay.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 29 Nov. 2023
Nissan said its 9,000 U.S. workers would get raises of about 10% and would end a two-tiered pay system.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2023
Before the deal, union leaders crafted a strike pay plan and picket lines across the Strip.
—Sahil Kapur, NBC News, 22 Nov. 2023
Adjective
According to the American Diabetes Association, 22 states and Washington D.C. have imposed insulin co-pay caps ranging from $25 to $100 for 30-day supplies, which some would like to expand nationwide.
—Benjamin Ryan, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2023
In August, the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute, the Diabetes Leadership Council, and the Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition filed a lawsuit challenging the federal rule that allows co-pay accumulators.
—Katie Wedell, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2022
The hope is that CNN+ will serve as a gateway to a post-pay TV world, connecting the brand’s familiar red and white letters to a generation of viewers who are growing up without cable.
—Stephen Battaglio Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2022
The drug is so expensive at the wholesale level that private insurers place it in the highest co-pay categories; some won’t allow doctors to prescribe it without their prior approval, further narrowing patients’ access.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2022
More than 775 people have already signed up for the company's pre-pay membership, Precompose.
—Eileen Finan, PEOPLE.com, 17 June 2021
Or an expansion of co-pay coupons to Medicare, where they’re now banned?
—Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 16 Oct. 2020
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb (1), Noun, and Adjective
Middle English, from Anglo-French paier, from Latin pacare to pacify, from pac-, pax peace
Verb (2)
obsolete French peier, from Latin picare, from pic-, pix pitch — more at pitch
First Known Use
Verb (1)
13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1856, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (2)
1610, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of pay was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing pay
Dictionary Entries Near pay
Cite this Entry
“Pay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pay. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
pay
1 of 3 verb
paid
ˈpād
also in sense 6 payed; paying
also in sense 6 payed; paying
1
: to give (as money) in return for services received or for something bought
pay the taxi driver
pay for a ticket
2
: to give what is owed
pay a tax
3
: to get even with
pay someone back for an insult
4
: to give or offer freely
pay a compliment
pay attention
5
a
: to return value or profit to
it pays to drive carefully
b
: to give as a return
a bank account paying eight percent
6
: to make slack and allow to run out
pay out a rope
payer
noun
ˈpā-ər
also payor
ˈpā-ər,
pā-ˈȯ(ə)r
pay
2 of 3 noun1
a
: the act of paying
b
: the state of being paid or employed for money
2
: something paid
especially
: wage entry 2, salary
pay
3 of 3 adjective1
: containing or leading to something valuable
2
: having a coin slot for receiving money for use
More from Merriam-Webster on pay
Nglish: Translation of pay for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of pay for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pay
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