payroll

noun

pay·​roll ˈpā-ˌrōl 

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

The payroll provider would then deposit the funds into an account owned by McCluskie. —Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 14 Nov. 2025

Job growth has slowed, with payroll gains having plunged from an average of 168,000 a month last year to just 27,000 in May through August — the most recent month for which there’s data. —Jarrell Dillard, Fortune, 13 Nov. 2025

The Office of Personnel Management previously ordered essential employees working during the shutdown to continue documenting their hours in accordance with special instructions from their agency's payroll provider. —Melina Khan, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025

Shaun Southworth, a federal employment attorney, said in an Instagram video that the timing of backpay will vary by agency based on their payroll providers, but most employees should start seeing deposits within days. —NPR, 13 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1740, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing payroll

• payroll deduction
• payroll tax

Rhymes for payroll

• bankroll
• bedroll
• borehole
• cajole
• catchpole
• charcoal
• condole
• control
• dipole
• downhole
• enroll
• extol

Kids Definition

payroll

noun

pay·​roll ˈpā-ˌrōl 

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