1
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
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
Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2026
Restarting their careers has come with significant personal and financial costs, and there’s no guarantee their efforts will pay off.
—Natalie Yahr, jsonline.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Sam Reed, Glamour, 29 Jan. 2026
This combo delivers hydration with real pigment payoff.
—Corein Carter, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pay off
Verb
Early last year, Madden moved her account to Grove Bank & Trust in Miami and soon learned from the bank that her former Northern Trust investment adviser had been using her money to pay off his large credit card debts.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2026
Restarting their careers has come with significant personal and financial costs, and there’s no guarantee their efforts will pay off.
—Natalie Yahr, jsonline.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Noun
The payoff was particularly good because the writers gave us the push-and-pull that defines all great TV romances.
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 29 Jan. 2026
This combo delivers hydration with real pigment payoff.
—Corein Carter, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 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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This means any unpaid amount, whether utilities or other charges, can make an account delinquent because it must be paid at the same time as rent.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Jan. 2026
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Planting a vineyard in the Bay Area can cost between $30,000 and $80,000 per acre, but some are choosing to just leave them sit rather than pay to maintain them.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But now, federal prosecutors say Hennen is the fixer behind the biggest point-shaving scandal in history, accused of bribing 39 college players, corrupting 17 programs and fixing — or trying fix — 29 games to enrich himself and other gamblers.—
Andy Sheehan,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2026
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Weeks before our big day, my parents repeatedly pressured and attempted to bribe me into signing away the rights to my name, which would have affected me, my wife, and our future children.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
FOXNews.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In an industry built on the constant churn of buying and flipping companies for a profit, Vestar’s future is in question.—
Hank Tucker,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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The announcement came alongside the company’s latest quarterly earnings, which showed falling vehicle sales but stronger-than-expected profits.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The music of the first three seasons — including covers of Miley Cyrus and Rihanna songs — helped set the backdrop of pivotal scenes, and of course, many, many balls.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
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The Lion's Den at The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, has also hosted many historical figures during a very pivotal time in American history.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
30 Jan. 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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That film, now recognized as a watershed moment, helped revolutionize the independent film business.—
Rena Ronson,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Jan. 2026
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NikeSkims, the watershed partnership between sportswear giant Nike and Kim Kardashian‘s label-of-the-moment Skims, has just made a splash in the world of footwear.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The minors were child actors who met Busfield on the set of the FOX series The Cleaning Lady, where Busfield served as a director, according to the arrest warrant, issued by Officer Marvin Kirk Brown.—
Liza Esquibias,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
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Jeff Brady, executive director of communications for the district, said Tiger Team Two met at least once a month from September to December to discuss and evaluate school enrollment, the capacity and upkeep and condition of each campus, finances and boundaries for each school.—
Fousia Abdullahi,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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More than 5,000 people have bought it at Amazon and given it high ratings.—
Kristine Hansen,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Jan. 2026
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A lot of schools are running black and gold days on Monday, so local people are coming in, and travelers are buying stuff to wear to the game.—
Jessica Riley,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pay off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pay%20off. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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