Synonyms of pays

pays 1 of 2

verb

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

• compensates
• repays
• reimburses
• remunerates
• refunds
• recompenses
• pays off
• pays up
• remits
• prepays
• requites

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stiffs

2

as in meets

to give what is owed for

you ought to pay that bill before it's overdue

Synonyms & Similar Words

• meets
• settles
• balances
• stands
• pays off
• clears
• pays up
• foots
• liquidates
• discharges
• quits
• springs (for)
• recompenses
• antes (up)
• ponies up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• repudiates

3

as in spends

to hand over or use up in payment

rock fans were willing to pay enormous sums to get into the concert

Synonyms & Similar Words

• spends
• gives
• disburses
• outlays
• expends
• lays out
• drops
• shells out
• lavishes
• forks (over, out, or up)
• rains
• wastes
• runs through
• blows
• dissipates
• squanders
• throws away
• fritters (away)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• saves
• earns
• makes
• realizes
• acquires
• wins
• secures
• procures
• lays up
• gains
• hoards
• caches
• garners

4

as in yields

to produce as revenue

an investment paying six percent

Synonyms & Similar Words

• yields
• gives
• returns
• provides
• bears
• affords
• furnishes
• supplies
• brings in
• nets
• pays off

5

as in employs

to provide with a paying job

pay someone to mow the lawn for the summer

Synonyms & Similar Words

• employs
• hires
• recruits
• engages
• retains
• fees
• assumes
• signs (up or on)
• enlists
• places
• lays on
• takes on
• jobs
• partners
• promotes
• rehires
• contracts
• reemploys
• apprentices
• subcontracts
• reengages
• keeps (on)
• upgrades
• advances
• headhunts
• scouts

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dismisses
• cans
• discharges
• fires
• axes
• sacks
• furloughs
• lays off
• locks out

pays

2 of 2

noun

plural of pay

1

as in salaries

the money paid regularly to a person for labor or services

it's difficult to support two children on her pay

Synonyms & Similar Words

• salaries
• wages
• payments
• stipends
• hires
• paychecks
• pay envelopes
• emoluments
• packets
• returns
• minimum wages
• profits
• earnings
• nominal wages
• compensations
• living wages
• reparations
• reimbursements
• take-home pays
• yields
• repayments
• recompenses
• overtimes
• restitutions
• double times
• remittances
• takings
• redresses
• remunerations
• recoupments
• time and a halfs
• requitals

2

as in payments

something (as money) that is given or received in return for goods or services

we should demand pay for all the overtime we're putting in

Synonyms & Similar Words

• payments
• wages
• compensations
• salaries
• reparations
• considerations
• remittances
• reimbursements
• recompenses
• stipends
• outlays
• deposits
• remunerations
• expenditures
• repayments
• refunds
• adjustments
• rentals
• indemnities
• rents
• settlements
• rebates
• disbursements
• requitals
• redresses
• prepayments
• restitutions
• overpayments
• recoupments

Example Sentences

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

There is no Cost Per Mile (CPM), a digital marketing metric that represents the cost an advertiser pays for every 1,000 impressions. — Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 5 July 2026

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