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pays off

verb

present tense third-person singular of pay off
1
as in pays
to give what is owed for I finally paid off the loan

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bribes
to influence someone with a bribe she paid off the security guard so that she could steal whatever she liked

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 off And despite the reputation, not every bet pays off for Moody. — Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 14 Sep. 2026 Whether that trade actually pays off depends on your vehicle, your driving habits and how the numbers line up against real repair-cost data. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026 Being able to bring directing ideas into the writing itself, and getting a handle on the complex psychological stakes the writers had built in, so they could be properly showcased later, saves a lot of time and usually pays off. — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026 Becoming a regular pays off more than any one-off negotiation. — Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 1 Sep. 2026 The operator model pays off when the delivery network is complex enough that the decisions being made inside it—or being made poorly, or not at all—are materially affecting cost and customer experience. — Nishith Rastogi, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 That's why saving money on some parts of your vacation without compromising on the overall quality of the trip definitely pays off. — Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 21 July 2026 Upon approval, the new lender pays off your existing loan and then assumes the remaining balance. — Becca Stanek, TheWeek, 8 July 2026 Research suggests wildfire mitigation work pays off. — Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pays off
  1. pays
  2. bribes
  3. pays up
  4. has
  5. meets
  6. buys
  7. seduces
Verb
  • Giu pays Father Joe a visit and gets infected with the same virus after being lured into the confession box.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2026
  • In her 2015 memoir, Steinem recounts her dynamic, nomadic career as a writer and activist, and pays vivid homage to the people, places, and conversations that shaped her.
    — Mary Lawrence Ware, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of pays
Verb
  • In one of the film’s most madcap and darkly comedic moments, Linda bribes her daughter with the promise of a pet hamster — who turns out to be a biter, desperate to escape its box.
    — Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
Definition of bribes
Verb
  • If approved, the company pays up to the plan’s coverage limit.
    — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Late on Thursday night, the Dallas Cowboys agreed to terms with wide receiver Ryan Flournoy on a one-year contract extension that pays up to $6 million in incentives, a team source confirmed.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of pays up
Verb
  • Belarus still has 912 political prisoners, including 20 journalists, according to the Viasna human rights center.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
  • There are 795 rooms here, including 58 suites, and every one of them has a private lanai (a Hawaiian balcony or veranda) with either a garden or an ocean view.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of has
Verb
  • Meanwhile, the Bank of England, which meets shortly after the Fed, is widely expected by markets to hold rates unchanged.
    — , CNBC, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The changes are part of a broader effort by local agencies to keep pace with growth north of Eagle and improve emergency response in an area where suburban development increasingly meets the Foothills, Lewis said.
    — Noah Daly, Idaho Statesman, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of meets
Verb
  • Especially since the company buys from more than 200 brands across its entire storefronts.
    — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Roughly two percent of that four dollars buys fraud models, monitoring and the right to dispute the charge.
    — Satya Vandrangi, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of buys
Verb
  • On his final voyage, Gulliver meets the Houyhnhnms, a race of supremely intelligent horses that follow the wisdom of reason and tradition rather than the speculation of science and technology that seduces the Laputans.
    — Dónal Gill, The Dial, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Andie, as research for an article about modern dating, seduces Benjamin and then transforms herself into the girlfriend from hell.
    — Jack Dunn, Variety, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of seduces

Browse Nearby Words

pays (for)
pays off
pays up
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Cite this Entry

“Pays off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pays%20off. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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