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

But unionization usually raises costs for an employer through payroll, legal bills and other fees associated with providing benefits. —Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026

The payrolls processing firm said companies added 122,000 workers for the month, up from 105,000 in April and better than the Dow Jones consensus estimate for 110,000. —Jeff Cox, CNBC, 3 June 2026

Meanwhile, the program’s finances continue to deteriorate because state payroll taxes aren’t keeping up with the outflow of benefits, even though the state is no longer in recession. —Dan Walters, Mercury News, 3 June 2026

In each of these seasons, the Dodgers ranked at or near the top in team payroll. —Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 June 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