payment

noun

pay·​ment ˈpā-mənt 

1

: the act of paying

2

: something that is paid : pay

3

: requital

Synonyms of payment

• paying

Examples of payment in a Sentence

Payment is due on the first of every month.

Prompt payment of your bill ensures that you will not have to pay any additional fees.

We require payment in advance for all goods purchased.

a payment plan to reduce your debt

cash, credit cards, and other methods of payment

Our records show that we received a payment of $215.36 in May.

Buy this product for three easy payments of only $19.95!

It took me five years to pay off the car, but I never missed a payment.

making payments on a loan

The credit card company just increased the penalty on late payments.

Recent Examples on the Web

The state agency that oversees Medicaid has been under scrutiny after the discovery of millions of dollars in potentially fraudulent payments. —Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026

Tidy your payment app to see numbers without dread and choose calm reactions. —Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 17 Apr. 2026

Bolivia is low on cash after making more than $500 million in debt payments last month, increasing the urgency of reaching a deal with the International Monetary Fund. —Sergio Mendoza, Bloomberg, 16 Apr. 2026

Ten years back, poor internet access, nascent digital payments, and underdeveloped road infrastructure restricted e‑commerce in smaller cities. —Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing payment

• balloon payment
• co-payment
• down payment
• in payment
• on payment of
• stop payment
• transfer payment

Rhymes for payment

• claimant
• copayment
• embayment
• nonpayment
• prepayment
• repayment
• overpayment
• underpayment

Kids Definition

payment

noun

pay·​ment ˈpā-mənt 

1

: the act of paying

2

: money given to pay a debt

3

: pay entry 2 sense 2