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as in to bribe
to influence someone with a bribe
she paid off the security guard so that she could steal whatever she liked
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in profit
the amount of money left when expenses are subtracted from the total amount received
the payoff on the investment was only about $500
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in pivotal
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of payoff
Max Zahn, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2025
The only thing he might have been disappointed about was RCA’s insistence that the purchase price of $35,000 would be accounted against one half of Elvis’ forthcoming royalties until it was fully paid off.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
Jenny Berg, Allure, 27 July 2025
Even the jokey post-credits scenes tend to have some significance (like the payoff of Red Guardian finally getting to be on a Wheaties box in Thunderbolts*), and many of the other sorts of post-credits scenes contain jokes.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for payoff
Noun
Meanwhile, wage growth could slow, squeezing consumers tasked with paying off the higher loan rates.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2025
The only thing he might have been disappointed about was RCA’s insistence that the purchase price of $35,000 would be accounted against one half of Elvis’ forthcoming royalties until it was fully paid off.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Kajal also has maximalist color payoff, is resistant to smudging, and tends to be gentle on sensitive eyes.
—Jenny Berg, Allure, 27 July 2025
Even the jokey post-credits scenes tend to have some significance (like the payoff of Red Guardian finally getting to be on a Wheaties box in Thunderbolts*), and many of the other sorts of post-credits scenes contain jokes.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for payoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for payoff
Verb
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Offer paid apprenticeships and fast-track training for entry-level IT roles.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
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On the lawn of the Nickel Plate Amphitheater behind City Hall and Art Center, Fishers will pay Blue Peak, of Michigan, $143,881 to put up a 116-by-82-foot tent that will stand for most of December.—
John Tuohy,
IndyStar,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Often in host countries with poor governance a gray economy emerges where undocumented migrants must bribe venal officials for documentation to live or work.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
1 Aug. 2025
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That plan proved ill-fated, however, when he got caught trying to bribe a city official.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
30 July 2025
Noun
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Operating profits are projected to decline by 5 percent or more due to escalating climate shocks, per World Trade Scanner.—
Kurt Kipka,
Sourcing Journal,
5 Aug. 2025
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Experts say that tough business leaders who prioritize hard skills to prevent soft skills from undercutting profits are opposing themselves.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Indian officials have recently refuted Trump’s claims of the U.S. playing a pivotal role in ending a conflict with Pakistan in May.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
8 Aug. 2025
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The History of Tech Companies Upskilling Society Looking back at the computer literacy boom of the 1970s and 2000s, tech giants like IBM and Microsoft played pivotal roles, not just by providing tools and resources but by fostering partnerships with educational institutions.—
Gerui Wang,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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On Rosh Hashanah of 1944, Fernande met a young American Jewish soldier named David Snegg at the Grand Synagogue in Paris.—
Marc Snegg,
Time,
7 Aug. 2025
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To meet the demands of this new landscape, companies are rethinking network design.—
Umesh Kumar Sharma,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In 1978: President Jimmy Carter declared a health emergency for the Love Canal neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York, and Gov. Hugh Carey announced the government would buy homes made toxic by chemicals seeping from a landfill.—
Lorenzino Estrada,
AZCentral.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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American consumers and businesses buy pharmaceutical drugs, precious stones and textiles and apparel from India, among other goods.—
Leo Schwartz,
Fortune,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The other decisive event was more prosaic: activists from a joint Jewish-Palestinian initiative called Standing Together staged a protest outside the studios of Channels 12 and 13.—
Ruth Margalit,
New Yorker,
5 Aug. 2025
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With broad disapproval of policies on the economy, immigration, and living costs, Democrats may see a possible opening, but have yet to translate this into a decisive lead as the party regroups after the 2024 election loss.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Instead, the person must show race was the crucial and deciding factor.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
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The bullpen gave up the lead on the first pitch, and then three more in the deciding 10th inning.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
27 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Payoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/payoff. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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