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
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
5
as in employs
to provide with a paying job
pay someone to mow the lawn for the summer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
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
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
Each step pays it forward to enable the next step to happen.
—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
24 June 2026
Rather than wallow in the despair of his wife's death, Robin decided to start Kay Days, a non-profit that pays for patients' parking on select days and during the week of his beloved wife's birthday.
—
Ross Guidotti,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
Would the federal government, which now pays roughly half of California’s health care bills through Medicare, Medi-Cal and various programs for federal workers, be willing to give the state those many billions of dollars for a unified system?
—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
23 June 2026
If an outcome takes place, the market pays out for each share purchased by those who guessed correctly.
—
Matt Motta,
Fortune,
23 June 2026
The brand now pays more to convert fewer customers.
—
Dani Nadel,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
The agency also pays for 10 shelter beds at the Gateway Center and Salvation Army.
—
Sara Gregory,
AJC.com,
18 June 2026
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
Verb
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
Each step pays it forward to enable the next step to happen.
—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
24 June 2026
Rather than wallow in the despair of his wife's death, Robin decided to start Kay Days, a non-profit that pays for patients' parking on select days and during the week of his beloved wife's birthday.
—
Ross Guidotti,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
Would the federal government, which now pays roughly half of California’s health care bills through Medicare, Medi-Cal and various programs for federal workers, be willing to give the state those many billions of dollars for a unified system?
—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
23 June 2026
If an outcome takes place, the market pays out for each share purchased by those who guessed correctly.
—
Matt Motta,
Fortune,
23 June 2026
The brand now pays more to convert fewer customers.
—
Dani Nadel,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
The agency also pays for 10 shelter beds at the Gateway Center and Salvation Army.
—
Sara Gregory,
AJC.com,
18 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 software continuously compensates for momentum, helping maintain accurate positioning during movement, according to its website.
-
There is no meaningful amount of last-minute effort that compensates for months of unfocused or incomplete readiness.
Verb
-
Venezuela lies in a seismically active zone where the Caribbean Plate meets the South American Plate.
-
The change would allow each of the country’s 36 states to create a police force that meets a minimum national requirement while the federal police retains control of counterterrorism, border patrol, organized crime and other national security issues.
Verb
-
Spoilers Ahead Kara is introduced as a reckless party animal, who spends her time seeking out planets orbiting red suns, to weaken her superpowered metabolism and become intoxicated.
-
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.
Verb
-
Naturally, googling Messi and Roccuzzo yields some truly deranged headlines, such as one from the Daily Mail that suggests the couple’s 2023 trip to a Publix supermarket was (gasp) staged.
-
Turning those onions golden brown and translucent, which yields a sweet, rich flavor.
Verb
-
The company employs over 240 people and offers a range of aviation maintenance, training, and operational services in addition to its airtanker program.
-
Antares Nuclear’s Mark-0 employs sodium heat pipes that passively transfer heat away from the reactor core without using power.
Noun
-
While first-round picks are slotted into salaries through the NBA’s rookie scale, there isn’t as much structure with second-round selections.
-
Those aren’t disqualifying salaries in a rising cap world, but the preference should be snagging plug-ins who are willing sign short-term, such as Matt Grzelcyk (who also has ties to Sullivan), Ville Heinola or Jeremy Lauzon.
Noun
-
In the decade leading up to the pandemic, a study by the Atlantic Council found Pakistan to be one of only five developing economies, out of a sample of more than 60 countries, whose interest payments consumed more than 40% of its annual revenue intake.
-
The White House’s Iran negotiations rely on the dollar’s leverage, but Tehran has blunted that weapon by using alternative financial architecture, The Wall Street Journal reported, including payments in yuan or cryptocurrency, and adopting a Chinese alternative to the Swift banking network.
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.
-
The bond also has a maturity date, which is when the issuer repays the principal.
Cite this Entry
“Pays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pays. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
