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
The Federal Election Commission requires presidential candidates to reveal who pays them. Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025 How much someone with insurance pays for these drugs depends on their health plan; Eli Lilly notes on its website that through private insurance, people can pay as little as $25 a month. Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 7 Nov. 2025 While both parties await a judgment, Saks pays rent into a court escrow account. David Moin, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2025 The drugmakers have voluntarily agreed to reduce the prices the government pays for all GLP-1 drugs already approved for diabetes and other indications to $245 a month across all non-starting doses. Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2025 When Jamie Dimon makes predictions, the C-suite pays attention. Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025 White House pays tribute to Cheney The White House has paid tribute to Cheney by lowering its flags. Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025 Who pays to install these power roads? Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 4 Nov. 2025 When a customer pays cash and doesn't have exact change, the purchase total is rounded down by as much as two cents or up by as much two cents. Mike Snider, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
She’s canceled or postponed doctor’s appointments, chiropractic care and vet appointments to avoid co-pays or bills piling up. Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025 Costs will be passed on to other customers, raising premiums and co-pays. Eric Snoey, Mercury News, 21 Oct. 2025 An administrator told state officials that hospital leaders knew of the staffing shortages before opening the additional operating rooms, but the facility struggled to hire and keep employees because the salaries UCHealth pays are below market rate, according to the reports. Jessica Seaman, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 2025 That’s a little pricey for those core parts, but much of the cost pays for the laptop’s high-end materials and hardware features. Matthew Buzzi, PC Magazine, 5 Oct. 2025 Amazon said that will reduce weekly contributions by 34% and co-pays by 87% for primary care, mental health and most non-specialist visits for employees using the basic plan. Dave Smith, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025 Proof that staying current pays. Joseph Coughlin, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 While his premiums are very low, his deductible and co-pays for things like prescriptions for insulin equipment run hundreds of dollars per month. Chris Kenning, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025 The bill will also require people with incomes above the poverty line to pay out-of-pocket co-pays for most Medicaid services, such as lab tests or doctor visits. Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 4 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pays
Verb
  • No details on the scope of shape of the talks were forthcoming, but it is known Germany’s production sector has long been seeking an agreement with streamers that better compensates producers, writers, directors and other creatives in film and TV.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Even if not at their maximum crop yield, protein-rich beans, pumpkin flesh, and pumpkin seeds yield additional protein that compensates for the slightly diminished crop yields.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The new library would replace Truckee’s existing 50-year-old structure, which supporters say no longer meets the needs of a growing population.
    Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Tesla shareholders have approved a conditional pay package for CEO Elon Musk that could unlock up to a trillion dollars in stock if the company meets specific criteria, according to preliminary results from the annual shareholder meeting.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Daly's parents live in rural Illinois and her mom spends a lot of time online shopping.
    Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025
  • In a new piece in this week’s issue, Antonia Hitchens spends time with Loomer and those around her.
    David Remnick, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Consider a midgen berry bush (Austromyrtus dulcis), which yields fruit that look like white to mauve blueberries with a taste to match.
    Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The first offense of a taunting penalty yields an $11,593 fine.
    Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Each branch employs technicians who understand the pests most common in their region, scorpions in the Southwest, ticks in the Midwest, or termites in the Southeast.
    Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The company employs 230 people in Midland and 94 in Auburn Hills who will be affected.
    Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Public schools in particular have become so reliant on bond sales to fund salaries and services that overall school debt more than doubled from 2002 to 2019, rising to $500 billion.
    Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The high cost of education also discourage graduates from entering public or rural practice, where salaries are typically lower.
    Sixteen Ramos, AZCentral.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The administration had asked the court to block full payments while its appeal played out.
    Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Kolfage is alleged to have used the funds to pay for home renovations, make payments on a boat, and purchase a luxury sports utility vehicle, cosmetic surgery and to pay off credit card debt and personal tax liabilities.
    Kevin G. Hall, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The city repays the bondholders over time, plus interest, using property taxes.
    Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images What To Know The program repays up to $20,000 in student loan debt over four years, according to HESAA.
    Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pays. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on pays

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!