pay off 1 of 3

verb

Definition of pay offnext
1
as in to pay
to give what is owed for I finally paid off the loan

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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

payoff

2 of 3

noun

ˈpā-ˌȯf How to pronounce payoff (audio)
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

payoff

3 of 3

adjective

as in pivotal

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 off
Verb
Tuchel’s focus on his positioning, constantly tweaking his in-game setup to bring the best out of Bellingham, is paying off. — Thom Harris, New York Times, 13 July 2026 Perhaps the Padres’ homework on first-rounder Coleman Borthwick will pay off in more ways than one. — Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 July 2026
Noun
This emotional payoff is uncertain in every other literary genre. — Katelyn Frey, The Conversation, 10 July 2026 Most guides recommend the five-day classic itinerary as the best balance of pace and payoff. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 10 July 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
  1. pay
  2. bribe
  3. profit
  4. pivotal
  5. meet
  6. get at
  7. watershed
  8. buy
Verb
  • Lucas said each year the City Council allocates more than 25% of its annual operating revenue to fund the Police Department, yet the agency struggles each year with paying legal settlements.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2026
  • But if your paperwork is approved and your interview is completed, and your fees are paid, congratulations!
    — Josie Fischels, NPR, 14 July 2026
Definition of pay
Verb
  • In exchange, the indictment said, the bettors bribed Beasley and his debts to Davis were reduced or eliminated.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 July 2026
  • Undercover recordings allegedly captured Owens detailing how public officials could be bribed and how the illicit funds could be laundered through businesses and campaign donations, the outlet reported.
    — Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of bribe
Noun
  • The International Air Transport Association last month warned that global airlines could see their profits halved this year due to rising jet fuel costs, which are expected to be about 70% higher year-on-year.
    — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 6 July 2026
  • Oil prices, which skyrocketed for the first few months of the US-Israeli war with Iran, are now coming back down, closing a window of opportunity for Russia to use higher profits on its exports to close its widening budget deficit.
    — Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Definition of profit
Adjective
  • Defense experts and strategists have described its drone campaign as pivotal in helping to stall Russia’s military momentum, while also warning that Kyiv’s deep-strike successes have drastically raised the risk of escalation.
    — Katie Foley, CNBC, 10 July 2026
  • Go behind the scenes with Forbes Under 30 founders, creators and musicians—and the investors and mentors who backed them—to hear the real stories, lessons and pivotal moments behind building something that lasts.
    — Alexandra York, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of pivotal
Verb
  • The nine-bedroom property meets that tradition with more than 500 feet of frontage, a sandy beach, boathouse and the largest permanent in-water dock on the lake.
    — Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • Infinitely adjustable to meet all tastes and demands, from coarse to super fine seasoning.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 2026
Definition of meet
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of get at
Adjective
  • Two players acquired during the watershed opening day of free agency have little name recognition.
    — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • And that’s for showing up at a red carpet, not for a watershed celebrity wedding that threatens to overshadow America’s 250th birthday on July 4.
    — Marc Malkin, Variety, 2 July 2026
Definition of watershed
Verb
  • Aethon has agreed to buy back a 25% stake in Adamas, and Aethon managing director Gordon Huddleston will serve as the Adamas CEO, representing Mitsubishi’s interests.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 15 July 2026
  • Under the new agreement, the $14 million debt will be forgiven, and Western Hills will instead buy water based on the community's actual demand.
    — Nina Burns, CBS News, 14 July 2026
Definition of buy

Browse Nearby Words

payments
pay off
payoff
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pay off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pay%20off. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on pay off

Nglish: Translation of pay off for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All