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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

payoff

3 of 3

adjective

as in pivotal

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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
Restraint does not travel as far as a six-minute Nike spectacle, and the campaign needs real media weight behind it before that bet pays off. — Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 But development partners for the women’s soccer team say the private group — not the city — would be on the hook if expected tax revenue falls short of paying off the bond. — Dylan Lysen june 30, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2026
Noun
Organizing into groups is a tiny effort with a decent security payoff. — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 1 July 2026 Instead, Price opts for slow builds and gratifying payoffs, creating a tension that sustains the momentum of the record without getting lost in the details. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 3 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
  • The goal is to brighten—not shrink or damage—your fabrics, so pay special attention to heat sensitivity and fiber type.
    — Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 1 July 2026
  • In California, drivers pay some of the highest prices in the country.
    — Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of pay
Verb
  • 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
  • They are charged with wire fraud conspiracy, bribery in sporting contests and money laundering conspiracy for allegedly bribing Beasley to manipulate his performance.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 29 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
  • Women controlled children and property and played pivotal roles in tribe politics.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Although her date with Daniel didn’t end well in the season 2 finale, Helen will play a pivotal role in the series.
    — Katie Mannion, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Definition of pivotal
Verb
  • The pair met in English class on the first day of their freshman year.
    — Bryan West, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • The platform is scalable and can be deployed to meet the power demands of AI data centers and even support the grid.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 3 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
  • 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
  • One of the biggest off-pitch stories of the 2026 FIFA World Cup was the watershed moment for the rest of the world that was the discovery of ranch dressing.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of watershed
Verb
  • For the superstar whose private jet is tracked, whose every appearance is documented and whose movements become global headlines within minutes, an arena transformed into a private world may be the closest thing to privacy that money can buy.
    — Bryan West, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Douek swooped in to buy the iconic sign, with the proceeds going to World Central Kitchen, the nonprofit that provides food relief.
    — Alys Martinez, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of buy

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Cite this Entry

“Pay off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pay%20off. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of pay off for Spanish Speakers

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