1
as in paid
to give what is owed for
I finally paid off the loan
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bribed
to influence someone with a bribe
she paid off the security guard so that she could steal whatever she liked
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of paid off
Ruff’s quick hook paid off, and so did his other lineup changes.
—
Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 17 May 2026
The faith paid off, and Napoleon Solo overtook favorites Taj Mahal and Iron Honor for the Preakness.
—Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 17 May 2026
All that crafty seeding has paid off.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Those tough decisions paid off and paid off fast.
—Tory Wegerski, CBS News, 16 May 2026
But three consecutive years of losing — the three worst seasons in the franchise’s 65-year history — finally paid off Sunday for the Wizards, who went 17-65 this season and even allowed Miami’s Bam Adebayo to score 83 points for the league’s second-highest single-game total ever.
—Tim Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
The move paid off as Orlando limited North Carolina to just one shot on goal and keeper Anna Moorhouse recorded her third clean sheet of the season.
—Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 May 2026
And recently Robert Smedley, the city council minority leader and close Stewart political ally, paid off thousands of dollars in overdue sewer and water bills after the council found the delinquencies.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
That instinct to hold onto her wardrobe has paid off as trends resurface, allowing the actress to revisit and reinterpret earlier looks.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 3 May 2026
Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 17 May 2026
The faith paid off, and Napoleon Solo overtook favorites Taj Mahal and Iron Honor for the Preakness.
—Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 17 May 2026
All that crafty seeding has paid off.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Those tough decisions paid off and paid off fast.
—Tory Wegerski, CBS News, 16 May 2026
But three consecutive years of losing — the three worst seasons in the franchise’s 65-year history — finally paid off Sunday for the Wizards, who went 17-65 this season and even allowed Miami’s Bam Adebayo to score 83 points for the league’s second-highest single-game total ever.
—Tim Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
The move paid off as Orlando limited North Carolina to just one shot on goal and keeper Anna Moorhouse recorded her third clean sheet of the season.
—Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 May 2026
And recently Robert Smedley, the city council minority leader and close Stewart political ally, paid off thousands of dollars in overdue sewer and water bills after the council found the delinquencies.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
That instinct to hold onto her wardrobe has paid off as trends resurface, allowing the actress to revisit and reinterpret earlier looks.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 3 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paid off
Verb
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Eggs, sushi, and crypto The account paid attention to smaller stories, too.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
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Those of us who paid attention in high school social studies know that only Congress can declare war.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 May 2026
Verb
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As seen in a now-viral video on TikTok, Alexis took matters into her own hands and bribed her little girl with $2 to cooperate and smile for picture day.—
Georgia Slater,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
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Forest might have added a third European trophy in six years under him had opponents Anderlecht not bribed the referee for their semi-final in the 1983-84 UEFA Cup (today’s Europa League).—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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California’s race for governor hit a critical moment on May 14, as the state’s top candidates met for their final debatebefore the June primary.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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King County took a similar approach, building ongoing provider partnerships centered on measurable outcomes and tying contract renewal directly to whether those outcomes were met.—
Caroline Whistler,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paid off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paid%20off. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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