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

While fans may clamor for a salary cap, recent MLB spending on free agents does not indicate any type of appetite to stem the tide of increasing player payrolls in Major League Baseball. —Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026

Even assuming average incomes wax briskly to hit $100,000 by the end of 2035, that’s a huge chunk, amounting to more than one dollar in seven, before accounting for payroll and income taxes. —Shawn Tully, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026

This is a company that authorities said Long claimed to have 50 employees with an average monthly payroll of $875,000. —Paula Wethington, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026

Smith, a Brentwood native, previously worked for the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office and the Pittsburg Police Department, as well as served a prior stint briefly with RPD, according to state payroll records. —Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2026

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