as in to pay off
Related Words
Relevance
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 down
While the most popular reason for side-hustling was discretionary spending, a majority of Americans take on extra jobs to support their households, pay down debt or shore up savings amid higher prices and inflation, Bank Rate found.
—
Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Indeed, calculations by Fortune showed tariff revenue (around $30 billion a month) won’t cover a fraction of the outgoing monthly payments to service the debt, let alone pay down the top-line figure.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 2 Sep. 2025
After the war, many argued that the Income Tax should be kept, to pay down the huge debts.
—Nathan Lewis, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Later, those conservative projections produce surpluses that are used to pay down debt and lower taxes.
—Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pay down
Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Indeed, calculations by Fortune showed tariff revenue (around $30 billion a month) won’t cover a fraction of the outgoing monthly payments to service the debt, let alone pay down the top-line figure.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 2 Sep. 2025
After the war, many argued that the Income Tax should be kept, to pay down the huge debts.
—Nathan Lewis, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Later, those conservative projections produce surpluses that are used to pay down debt and lower taxes.
—Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pay down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pay down
Verb
-
Aware of the intense competition to get into medical school, Sasvin, the first in her family to go to college, made sure to keep her grades high — and her efforts paid off.—
Nicole Gregory,
Oc Register,
22 Sep. 2025
-
The grants will only pay off if Oracle’s stock price rises.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As a former investment banker at JPMorgan in London, he was dismayed with the lack of late-night delivery options that could satisfy his appetite working 100-hour weeks.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Consider the health plan that implements comprehensive provider data accuracy not to satisfy regulators, but to enable predictive network optimization.—
Tammy Hawes,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pay down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pay%20down. Accessed 25 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share