payroll

noun

pay·​roll ˈpā-ˌrōl How to pronounce payroll (audio)
1
: a paymaster's or employer's list of those entitled to pay and of the amounts due to each
2
: the sum necessary for distribution to those on a payroll
also : the money to be distributed

Examples of payroll in a Sentence

They cut him from their payroll. He's the manager of a baseball team with a $50 million payroll. Businesses are keeping their payrolls low by embracing new technologies.
Recent Examples on the Web Critics question the mayor’s narrative, as well as the legitimacy of the audit, which was compiled by a former Oakland police official who’s currently on Thao’s payroll. Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 The Paycheck Protection Program allocated about $800 billion in loans through banks that were entirely guaranteed by the Small Business Administration and, in almost all instances, forgiven as long as the money was used for payroll and other legitimate overhead costs, according to the SBA. Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024 But spring training is relaxed and stress-free compared to the regular season, when Yamamoto will have to cope with the pressure to live up to his massive contract and to be an integral part of a team with a $300-million payroll and expectations of winning the World Series. Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024 By the end of 2023, her campaign listed four people on its payroll at a cost of less than $8,000 over the final three months of the year. Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024 For example, eligible small businesses can now offset the credit against payroll taxes up to $500,000 per year, a significant boon for companies not yet profitable. Gary Romano, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 After her expenses — payroll, utilities, mortgage payments, food and supplies — Ms. Davis’s take-home pay is often around $2 an hour. Claire Cain Miller, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2024 That was a pandemic-era provision to help businesses keep employees on payroll, but has since been found to be rife with fraud. Ken Tran, The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024 Yes, organizations and employees have benefited from HR’s streamlining and automation of workflows, plus the creation of a digital toolkit for everything from payroll to sourcing talent. Ryan Wong, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'payroll.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1740, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of payroll was in 1740

Dictionary Entries Near payroll

Cite this Entry

“Payroll.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/payroll. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

payroll

noun
pay·​roll ˈpā-ˌrōl How to pronounce payroll (audio)
1
: a list of persons entitled to receive pay with the amounts due to each
2
: the amount of money necessary to pay those on a payroll
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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