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.
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
Davis Giangiulio,
CNBC,
29 June 2026
Prosecutors also alleged Rinsch used the funds to purchase five Rolls-Royces and a Ferrari, and pay off $1,787,000 on credit card bills.
—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
29 June 2026
Daniel De Visé,
USA Today,
25 June 2026
Here is what the research says about why crafting together strengthens couples, and which hands-on classes deliver the strongest payoff.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
25 June 2026
Andrew Unterberger,
Billboard,
17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pay off
Verb
Shares fell 19% last week on worries about the company's debt and if its bet on artificial intelligence will pay off.
—
Davis Giangiulio,
CNBC,
29 June 2026
Prosecutors also alleged Rinsch used the funds to purchase five Rolls-Royces and a Ferrari, and pay off $1,787,000 on credit card bills.
—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
29 June 2026
Noun
Degrees in the physical and social sciences delivered less payoff.
—
Daniel De Visé,
USA Today,
25 June 2026
Here is what the research says about why crafting together strengthens couples, and which hands-on classes deliver the strongest payoff.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
25 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
-
The goal is to brighten—not shrink or damage—your fabrics, so pay special attention to heat sensitivity and fiber type.
-
In California, drivers pay some of the highest prices in the country.
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.
-
They are charged with wire fraud conspiracy, bribery in sporting contests and money laundering conspiracy for allegedly bribing Beasley to manipulate his performance.
Noun
-
On Saturday and Sunday their restaurants — Nobby’s and The Cheese Steak Shop — will donate their profits to the families of Hull and Johnson.
-
As a nonprofit organization, all of the profits from Rainbow Wool go to LSVD+, the largest nongovernmental organization in Germany advocating for LGBTQ+ people.
Adjective
-
Women controlled children and property and played pivotal roles in tribe politics.
-
Although her date with Daniel didn’t end well in the season 2 finale, Helen will play a pivotal role in the series.
Verb
-
The pair met in English class on the first day of their freshman year.
-
The platform is scalable and can be deployed to meet the power demands of AI data centers and even support the grid.
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.
-
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.
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.
-
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.
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.
-
Douek swooped in to buy the iconic sign, with the proceeds going to World Central Kitchen, the nonprofit that provides food relief.
Cite this Entry
“Pay off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pay%20off. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
