pay 1 of 2

1
as in to compensate
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 & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to meet
to give what is owed for you ought to pay that bill before it's overdue

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
as in to yield
to produce as revenue an investment paying six percent

Synonyms & Similar Words

5

pay

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word pay distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of pay are compensate, indemnify, recompense, reimburse, remunerate, repay, and satisfy. While all these words mean "to give money or its equivalent in return for something," pay implies the discharge of an obligation incurred.

paid their bills

When might compensate be a better fit than pay?

The words compensate and pay are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, compensate implies a making up for services rendered.

an attorney well compensated for her services

When can indemnify be used instead of pay?

Although the words indemnify and pay have much in common, indemnify implies making good a loss suffered through accident, disaster, warfare.

indemnified the families of the dead miners

When would recompense be a good substitute for pay?

The meanings of recompense and pay largely overlap; however, recompense suggests due return in amends, friendly repayment, or reward.

passengers were recompensed for the delay

When could reimburse be used to replace pay?

The synonyms reimburse and pay are sometimes interchangeable, but reimburse implies a return of money that has been spent for another's benefit.

reimbursed employees for expenses

Where would remunerate be a reasonable alternative to pay?

In some situations, the words remunerate and pay are roughly equivalent. However, 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

When is it sensible to use repay instead of pay?

While in some cases nearly identical to pay, repay stresses paying back an equivalent in kind or amount.

repay a favor with a favor

When is satisfy a more appropriate choice than pay?

While the synonyms satisfy and pay are close in meaning, satisfy implies paying a person what is required by law.

all creditors will be satisfied in full

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pay
Verb
The failure of some teams to pay tribute to Kirk is something that sparked swift backlash online. Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025 The California Legislature up against its deadline to pass bills last Friday approved SB 63, which allows a ballot measure to move forward, ending a multiyear political debate over how to make up for pandemic revenue loss across systems like BART, Muni, and Caltrain — and who should pay for it. Kate Talerico, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
So yes, some discrimination contributes to the pay gap, but other factors such as personal preferences are also important. Karlyn Bowman, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025 Quicken Premier's bill pay is ahead of the competition's. PC Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pay
Verb
  • Most available positions are informal, poorly compensated and offer little stability or room for career growth.
    Nir Kshetri, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2025
  • That’s the extent to which Netzer was considered the key man beforehand, but his poor form eventually cost him a place in the West German starting XI, and the side compensated for his absence through discipline and energy rather than flair.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • An anime about a teenager avenging the deaths of his family at the hands of hordes of carnivorous demons wouldn’t usually be the sort of film which would be met with unanimous praise from critics.
    Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • At first, the poster was happy to meet someone new and even adjusted the reservation to make space.
    Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Bobenmoyer spent seven years as a dental assistant.
    Anna Clark, ProPublica, 18 Sep. 2025
  • In Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, and Austin, renters typically spent less than 20 percent of their median income on rent.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Tanner Gordon — who yielded Machado’s last home run on Sunday in Denver, one of three off him in that game — responded to the first-inning homer by retiring the next 16 batters.
    Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Giolito yielded two runs, one earned, on five hits.
    Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Masino was hired at Cracker Barrel in 2023 after holding top positions at Taco Bell and Starbucks’ smaller international divisions and as CEO of Sprinkles Cupcakes.
    Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Executives and entrepreneurs have been for some time finding that other states offer better opportunities (but government managers in California have been hiring, which does more harm to the private sector more than good).
    Kerry Jackson, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The median annual salary for dispatchers is around $50,000, which may be decent on paper but falls short when weighed against the emotional and cognitive demands of the job.
    Jason Truppi, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025
  • While Americans' salaries are projected to grow at a steady pace in 2026, following years of volatile market adjustments, some changes to their compensation are anticipated next year.
    Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Likewise, the internet has made fundraising much easier with the use of online payment methods, which are easy to set up and difficult to trace.
    Richard Frankel, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2025
  • In most cases, at least 75% of federal funds must go directly to wages and benefits for participants, with the payments usually being made by the local and statewide organizations that recruit the participants and place them into host agencies.
    Cal J. Halvorsen, The Conversation, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • And yet, for their labor, they are repaid with fear and betrayal.
    Israel Melendez Ayala, Time, 16 Sep. 2025
  • The corporate debtor’s intent to repay the loan comports with its economic reality.
    Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pay. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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