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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 pay off
Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026
Winter Springs baseball coach Mike Bradley said a decision by Tripp Rosenberger to focus on his future last summer paid off big for the Bears’ pitcher heading into his senior year.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2026
David John Chávez, Mercury News, 3 June 2026
Peralta has made some adjustments to his slider in recent weeks that aren’t exactly major, but could provide a major payoff.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 3 June 2026
Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pay off
Verb
The Bears would retain all revenue generated by the dome and could eventually purchase it for one dollar once the 40-year bonds are paid off by taxpayers.
—Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026
Winter Springs baseball coach Mike Bradley said a decision by Tripp Rosenberger to focus on his future last summer paid off big for the Bears’ pitcher heading into his senior year.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2026
Noun
The final moments of the play contain a rich, tear-inducing payoff, proving that the notes, along with Ila’s food, are equally important.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 3 June 2026
Peralta has made some adjustments to his slider in recent weeks that aren’t exactly major, but could provide a major payoff.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 3 June 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
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Bourzgui, whose father immigrated to America from Morocco, went on to pay tribute to Palestine and his own Arab heritage.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
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Already, attention must be paid, and italics must be used, because eyepatch Armand is, to use his favorite word, fascinating.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Two months later, chairman Lord Triesman, who passed away earlier this year, was forced to quit after being recorded speculating about referees being bribed at the World Cup.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
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Then, Chang-ho bribed Ye-jin’s chief competition at HIT Home Shopping, Yun-ji (Park Ah-in), to get the Good Morning Cream on the broadcast product list.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
29 May 2026
Noun
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That's the endless complaint from a number of uninformed fans, outside observers, certain media members and opposing owners happy to push for a salary cap to guarantee themselves more profits.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
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Duke’s profit + data centers The disagreement over return on equity is one of the central concerns customer advocates and ratepayers have in the case.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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Trivia questions, the barrier for entry, center around pivotal women in history.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
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That makes their result a pivotal statement not only about the chemistry that supports life, but also about whether quantum computers are needed to understand it.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
29 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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Greylord was a watershed moment in its use of eavesdropping devices and a mole to obtain evidence instead of relying on wrongdoers to become government informants.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
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Campbell told the Miami Herald Tuesday that the congressional race is a watershed moment for the Democratic Party at a time when Black voters — particularly Black male voters — have felt disenfranchised from the party.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Stiller even made showing up to the media duties special for Knicks coach Mike Brown, who finally got to meet Stiller.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
8 June 2026
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Xi and Kim last met in September, when the North Korean leader was among a host of global leaders at a military parade in Beijing – with Kim seated next to Xi for the event.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Guy Curtis bought Seattle’s seminal grunge venue, the Central Saloon, in 1989.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
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In some states, players can also buy tickets online.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pay off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pay%20off. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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