pays 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of pay
1
as in compensates
to give (someone) the sum of money owed for goods or services received we need to pay the cashier and then we can leave

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in meets
to give what is owed for you ought to pay that bill before it's overdue

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
as in yields
to produce as revenue an investment paying six percent

Synonyms & Similar Words

5

pays

2 of 2

noun

plural of pay

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 pays
Verb
Currently, a person who earns $184,500 per year pays the same amount in annual Social Security taxes as a person who earns $5 million per year. Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2026 The Goalkeeper’s Hands The keeper is the only player allowed to use their hands, and pays for it up top. Dr. Tal Patalon, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026 His death led the couple to start a foundation that pays for children’s swimming lessons and promotes drowning prevention. Mike Stobbe, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026 JPMorgan updated its list of top ideas from its own analysts for the month of July, adding a stock that pays an attractive dividend. Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 3 July 2026 McEntire has participated in USO initiatives and often pays tribute to veterans and active-duty service members on patriotic holidays. Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026 Advertisement An epic chase The Minions make their way to Hollywood, but not before getting inadvertently involved in a high-stakes train heist that pays tribute to both The Great Train Robbery (1903) and The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906). Barry Levitt, Time, 3 July 2026 The separation agreement pays Molinar a year of her salary plus other benefits, Geren said. Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 June 2026 Who benefits and who pays for AI progress is a legitimate debate. Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 24 June 2026
Noun
Just to cover the city’s various bond measures, the owner of a home with an assessed value of $1 million pays around $1,145 annually. Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 3 June 2026 Even with premiums, co-pays and deductibles, the federal government cannot afford Medicare-for-some. Editorial Board, Washington Post, 26 May 2026 In return, doctors offer a more thorough annual physical, same-day appointments, no co-pays and more time with the patient. Chris Tomlinson, Houston Chronicle, 7 May 2026 Health insurance plans are designed to include some level of cost-sharing, such as co-pays or co-insurance. Fennemore, Oc Register, 30 Apr. 2026 Tax revenue from sports gambling pays for water projects across the state. Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026 The final version of the bill walks back many of the more drastic changes that originally appeared in HB 2, including lowering co-pays, easing up on redetermination and allowing for hardship waivers. Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Apr. 2026 Additionally, 80% said all health care costs -- including premiums, deductibles, co-pays or coinsurance -- are higher. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026 Lower doses also mean lower spending — both for the patient (who is responsible for co-pays) and CMS. Mark J. Ratain, STAT, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pays
Verb
  • The more useful question is what the current price assumes, what could change those assumptions, and whether the likely return compensates investors for the risks.
    Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
  • However, research findings are mixed, and not everyone compensates by eating more.
    Stephanie Anderson Witmer, Health, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?
    Doha Madani, NBC news, 1 July 2026
  • Patients will first need prior authorization -- prescribing clinicians will submit documentation proving the patient meets strict body mass index (BMI) and health condition requirements.
    Sony Salzman, ABC News, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • The amount a farmer spends on fertilizer is a small fraction of the total cost to grow food and get it to grocery store shelves.
    Joe Hernandez, NPR, 3 July 2026
  • Pz’ spends much of his proper debut, No Turning Back, equally baffled by his good fortune and ready to fasten it to his side with a Gucci strap before anyone else can take it.
    Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • An average summer typically yields between one to three of these such warnings.
    Matthew Villafane, CBS News, 29 June 2026
  • Every roadway incident yields distinct outcomes based on liability and insurance limits.
    William Jones, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • Riles’s company now employs 18 people, and as of May, the company’s grown 43% year over year, according to John Helms, director of sales and business insights, clocking slightly over $10 million in revenue in 2025.
    Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026
  • Alyse Lopez-Salm, who lives in a small North Carolina town close to the military base that employs her husband, is one of the 35 million Americans who work from home.
    Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • Here are some top salaries for doctors in their peak earning years, ages 40 to 55, according to the researchers.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 5 July 2026
  • Cuts to funding for people with disabilities, rising tuition costs and slashed teacher salaries would all be on the table, said Fogle, a Springfield Democrat.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • California’s richest residents would be able to spread the payments over five years.
    Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • The first wave of Social Security payments for July is scheduled to be distributed this week.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Verb
  • Once the buildings are complete, the homebuilder repays the loan with interest, and the state can recycle the funds to support more housing projects without additional public investment.
    Anthony Tordillos, Mercury News, 24 June 2026
  • The bond also has a maturity date, which is when the issuer repays the principal.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pays. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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