pay up

Definition of pay upnext
as in to pay
to give what is owed for for once our bills are all paid up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pay up
Verb
  • In this Gothic fantasy debut, Leena Al-Sayer bargains her ability to see the dead in order to pay for the expensive medicine her brother Rami needs to live.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
  • The Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the legislature should act on the report’s recommendations with actions to strengthen reporting, enforce existing laws, prevent further abandonment of wells and ensure polluters pay for cleanup.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The bond district includes the American Royal project, Plaza at the Speedway and its shops and vacant land north of the development, meaning incremental sales tax revenues from future projects built on the vacant land also will be used to pay off the STAR bonds.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2026
  • If Grammy nominations are any indication, Thomas’s decision to fully embrace his own artistry has paid off.
    Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • For Proust—who may have met Wilde and even been the subject of the older man’s amorous attention (though accounts of their meeting or meetings could be apocryphal)—his downfall showed that life featured far keener sorrows than those encountered in books.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
  • On January 19, CNN reported that Soltani was in good physical health and had been able to meet with his family, according to Hengaw and one of his relatives.
    Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 2 Feb. 2026
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pay up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pay%20up. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

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!