Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

pay

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of pay

1 the money paid regularly to a person for labor or services

  • itʼs difficult to support two children on her pay
Synonyms of pay

emolument, hire, packet [British], pay envelope, paycheck, payment, salary, stipend, wage
Words Related to pay

living wage, minimum wage, nominal wages, take-home pay

double time, overtime, time and a half

compensation, recompense, remittance, remuneration, requital, return

recoupment, redress, reparation, restitution

reimbursement, repayment

earnings, profit, takings, yield

2 something (as money) that is given or received in return for goods or services

  • we should demand pay for all the overtime weʼre putting in
Synonyms of pay

compensation, consideration, payment, recompense, remittance, remuneration, requital
Words Related to pay

salary, stipend, wage(s)

disbursement, expenditure, outlay

rebate, refund

indemnity, recoupment, redress, reparation, restitution

adjustment, settlement

deposit

reimbursement, repayment

prepayment

overpayment

rent, rental

pay

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of pay

1 to give (someone) the sum of money owed for goods or services received

  • we need to pay the cashier and then we can leave
Synonyms of pay

compensate, recompense, remunerate
Words Related to pay

refund, reimburse, repay, requite

remit

pay off, pay up, prepay
Near Antonyms of pay

stiff

2 to give what is owed for

  • you ought to pay that bill before itʼs overdue
Synonyms of pay

ante (up), balance, clear, discharge, foot, liquidate, meet, pay off, pay up, pony up, quit, recompense, settle, spring (for), stand
Antonyms of pay

repudiate

3 to hand over or use up in payment

  • rock fans were willing to pay enormous sums to get into the concert
Synonyms of pay

disburse, drop, expend, fork (over, out, or up), give, lay out, outlay, shell out, spend
Words Related to pay

lavish, rain

blow, dissipate, fritter (away), run through, squander, throw away, waste
Near Antonyms of pay

cache, hoard, lay up, save

acquire, earn, gain, garner, make, procure, realize, secure, win

4 to produce as revenue

  • an investment paying six percent
Synonyms of pay

bear, give, return, yield
Words Related to pay

bring in, net

afford, furnish, provide, supply

pay off

5 to provide with a paying job

  • pay someone to mow the lawn for the summer
Synonyms of pay

assume, employ, engage, fee [chiefly Scottish], hire, lay on [chiefly British], place, recruit, retain, sign (up or on), take on
Words Related to pay

reemploy, reengage, rehire

apprentice, contract, job, partner, subcontract

enlist

advance, promote, upgrade

keep (on)

headhunt, scout
Near Antonyms of pay

furlough, lay off, lock out
Antonyms of pay

ax (or axe), can, discharge, dismiss, fire, sack

Synonym Discussion of pay

pay, compensate, remunerate, satisfy, reimburse, indemnify, repay, recompense mean to give money or its equivalent in return for something. pay implies the discharge of an obligation incurred.
    • paid their bills
compensate implies a making up for services rendered.
    • an attorney well compensated for her services
remunerate clearly suggests paying for services rendered and may extend to payment that is generous or not contracted for.
    • promised to remunerate the searchers handsomely
satisfy implies paying a person what is required by law.
    • all creditors will be satisfied in full
reimburse implies a return of money that has been spent for another's benefit.
    • reimbursed employees for expenses
indemnify implies making good a loss suffered through accident, disaster, warfare.
    • indemnified the families of the dead miners
repay stresses paying back an equivalent in kind or amount.
    • repay a favor with a favor
recompense suggests due return in amends, friendly repayment, or reward.
    • passengers were recompensed for the delay

Learn More about pay

  1. See words that rhyme with pay Dictionary: Definition of pay Spanish Central: Translation of pay Nglish: Translation of pay for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of pay for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pay

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up pay? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games