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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
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Recent Examples of payoff
Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 17 Aug. 2025
Nushrat Rahman, Freep.com, 17 Oct. 2025
The Dodgers' 2025 regular season did not go as many baseball experts expected, with the team battling several injuries throughout the roster and several big-money signings not paying off.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025
Among Cederquist’s chump-change payoffs, in addition to the candy, were bottled water, a snow blower and a granite mailbox.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for payoff
Verb
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
Noun
Customers can enroll by putting down a $10 deposit, then paying off the overdue balance over 36 months, on top of the regular bill.
—Nushrat Rahman, Freep.com, 17 Oct. 2025
The Dodgers' 2025 regular season did not go as many baseball experts expected, with the team battling several injuries throughout the roster and several big-money signings not paying off.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
States such as Colorado have started publishing yearly reports on the monetary payoff of college, and Texas now factors it into calculations for how much taxpayer money goes to community colleges.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025
Among Cederquist’s chump-change payoffs, in addition to the candy, were bottled water, a snow blower and a granite mailbox.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for payoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for payoff
Verb
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The Lowdown is paying tribute to its late star, Graham Greene.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Oct. 2025
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Their separation came five years after the couple were entangled in the Operation Varsity Blues scandal, pleading guilty to wire and mail fraud related to paying hundreds of thousands in bribes to get their daughters into the University of Southern California.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But the company’s owner, Ana Chretien, is a close ally and business associate of Mario Juarez, who this news organization has previously reported to be a co-conspirator in an alleged scheme to bribe the former mayor.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
17 Oct. 2025
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Don’t bribe—empathize Bribing picky eaters with dessert is a common tactic parents use to get to the end of the meal.—
Taylor Grothe,
Parents,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Of course, the profits would come in the form of tax revenue from the gargantuan long-term economic impact of the project — not from a spike in stock prices.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
24 Oct. 2025
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Also, while tequila giant Becle’s stock surged based on recent profit reports, sales of its core brand, the world-dominating Jose Cuervo, dropped by more than seven percent in the third quarter of this year.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The pivotal moment came on September 9th, when Netanyahu ordered an air strike on a residential building in Doha, hoping to kill four Hamas leaders who were then engaged in ceasefire negotiations.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
19 Oct. 2025
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The team needs solidity and security, so their availability could be pivotal.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
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
Verb
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The actor had previously met success with the first film in Netflix's The Kissing Booth series, but his searing performance as the nervy, brooding jock Nate Jacobs was among the most potent features that made Euphoria a water cooler hit.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Oct. 2025
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The council has met regularly since the fall to collect public input and formulate recommendations, but the final proposal for a graduation standard to the governor will be made by the Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile 17% of consumers said will buy inflatables, animatronics or other large lawn displays.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Oct. 2025
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But these adaptations can buy only so much time.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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There’s work to be done, certainly, but this is a watershed moment for anyone paying attention.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
14 Oct. 2025
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Transgender people were particularly targeted for harassment, Miss Major said in the USA TODAY interview, recalling the night of the raid, now regarded as a watershed moment in LGBTQ+ history and American history.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Payoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/payoff. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
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