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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
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Recent Examples of pay off
Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 8 May 2026
But that hard work has certainly paid off.
—Daily News, 8 May 2026
Joshua Sidorowicz, CBS News, 6 May 2026
One thing Game of Thrones did with aplomb, at least in the earlier seasons, was set up an entire season's worth of events for one big payoff.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pay off
Verb
No wonder so many recent graduates are lighting up social media with posts about the difficulties of finding a job in their field, the crushing burden of paying off big loans, and the increasing inability to get by, much less thrive.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 8 May 2026
But that hard work has certainly paid off.
—Daily News, 8 May 2026
Noun
More resources available Debt is a focus this month on the In Your Corner podcast, covering common mistakes, practical payoff strategies and guidance on when to seek help.
—Joshua Sidorowicz, CBS News, 6 May 2026
One thing Game of Thrones did with aplomb, at least in the earlier seasons, was set up an entire season's worth of events for one big payoff.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
Adjective
Not wrong for much of the last three decades — but Saturday night’s gig, and all the joyous revelry surrounding it, showed why the Live ’25 Tour has been payoff enough for none of them to look back in anger at any of it.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pay off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pay off
Verb
-
The fine points of class-action law were, of course, less influential than Crenshaw’s insistence on paying close attention to the way Black women were treated by the courts, and the essay’s most memorable lines were broader categorical claims.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Americans are paying more for food, fuel, housing, and healthcare, while government grows larger, less accountable, and less competent.—
Kevin Fixler
May 3,
Idaho Statesman,
3 May 2026
Verb
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Back in the day, scandals typically were point-shaving schemes that involved shadowy figures bribing athletes.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 May 2026
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Both Zervas and Ziogas have both pleaded guilty to bribing Diamantis.—
Andrew Brown,
Hartford Courant,
1 May 2026
Noun
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The complaint seeks compensatory and punitive damages, disgorgement of profits attributable to the use of Kilcher’s likeness, injunctive relief, and corrective public disclosure.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
7 May 2026
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Analyst Lorraine Hutchinson believes Ulta is more attractive after a pullback, especially as the retailer could be poised profit from some recent investments.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
6 May 2026
Adjective
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But what makes this offseason a pivotal moment for them is the additional tax rate known as the repeater tax — a more severe financial penalty based on five-year windows, incentivizing owners not to spend excessively over the salary cap for prolonged periods.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
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Furthermore, Sharpe spent six months learning how to tinkle the ivories, an impressive commitment which pays off during the pivotal piano battles and ensures a welcome absence of clumsy cutaways from fingers to face.—
Jon O'Brien,
IndieWire,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Fast-food restaurants, once the first stop for Americans looking to get at least one meal in before a long work day, are fighting to win back customers.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
1 Sep. 2025
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Compared with Let’s Move’s easygoing recommendations—children should get at least one hour of physical activity each day, and everyone should drink one more glass of water—MAHA is also considerably more macho.—
Tom Bartlett,
The Atlantic,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The move turned out to be a watershed moment for Mansoori, who caught the bug.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 May 2026
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Maher cited Walmart’s recent updates to its policies regarding Sparky, its own AI shopping agent, as a watershed moment for the industry.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As Mars meets resistance from Jupiter, overcommitting creates unnecessary stress.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
4 May 2026
-
Reports in national dailies La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera did not indicate whether Rubio, a Catholic, would meet personally with Leo.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
Verb
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The people who can buy are increasingly the people who have someone to call.—
Blake O'Shaughnessy,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
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And look, the only facts that distinguishes this case from those people buying things on Amazon or posting things on Amazon is not any particular facts that are not visible to the public.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pay off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pay%20off. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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