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 number of teachers on the payroll dipped, too, by about 17% in 2022 and 2023 before creeping back up in 2024 and 2025, according to data provided by Epic. —Jennifer Palmer, Oklahoma Watch, 9 Jan. 2026

The agency will publish its payroll benchmark revision next month with the January employment report. —Reuters wire Service, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026

The annual payrolls gain of 584,000 for 2025 is the worst year outside of a recession since 2003, according to Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union. —Jeff Cox, CNBC, 9 Jan. 2026

Bar chart showing the monthly net change in payroll employment by industry. —Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 9 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