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
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Recent Examples of pays off
Not only is her delivery hilarious, but having Forest Whitaker’s daughter play an unabashed Hollywood nepo baby is a sly bit of meta casting that pays off big time here.
—
Caroline Framke, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025
Shopping discount/manager markdowns pays off Becky Shotts, 29, of Chattanooga, Tennessee has found savings by looking for discount markdowns by managers at her grocery store.
—Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
The conceit is risky but pays off.
—Literary Hub, 31 Oct. 2025
Get their money’s worth – make sure their major-league-leading $350 million payroll pays off.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
Dodgers’ lineup construction pays off As last October neared, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts rearranged his lineup.
—Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
Quick fixes rarely work—but a patient, consistent approach pays off.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
The idea is that your hard work one night, pays off two-fold when leftovers can be easily turned into a second, different recipe, the next day.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 28 Sep. 2025
Patience pays off in this situation.
—Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Caroline Framke, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025
Shopping discount/manager markdowns pays off Becky Shotts, 29, of Chattanooga, Tennessee has found savings by looking for discount markdowns by managers at her grocery store.
—Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
The conceit is risky but pays off.
—Literary Hub, 31 Oct. 2025
Get their money’s worth – make sure their major-league-leading $350 million payroll pays off.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
Dodgers’ lineup construction pays off As last October neared, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts rearranged his lineup.
—Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
Quick fixes rarely work—but a patient, consistent approach pays off.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
The idea is that your hard work one night, pays off two-fold when leftovers can be easily turned into a second, different recipe, the next day.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 28 Sep. 2025
Patience pays off in this situation.
—Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pays off
Verb
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The Federal Election Commission requires presidential candidates to reveal who pays them.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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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
Verb
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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
Verb
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In the most severe cases, the state pays up to $86,000 annually for a person’s home care, Reiskin said.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
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Daniel also has and continues to be involved in podcasting at the newspaper.—
Daniel McFadin,
Arkansas Online,
5 Nov. 2025
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Meanwhile, Emerald has no need for men, using a sperm donor to create her perfect family of high-achieving triplets.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Cureate does not warehouse or distribute food products, the company buys purchases the food order and the farmer delivers it to the customer, Bryden said.—
Cristina LaRue,
Arkansas Online,
9 Nov. 2025
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Trading space for savings In Encinitas, Lovelace rarely buys red meat at the store anymore.—
Roxana Popescu,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Everything about the scene seduces the viewer into what dining while traveling in the most luxurious fashion could be, and once was.—
Kristin L. Wolfe,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
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In his youth, the blue-eyed Stamp was widely considered one of the most handsome men onscreen, and Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini used that to peculiar effect in Teorema (1968), casting the actor as a nameless and wordless visitor who seduces an entire household.—
Rhett Bartlett,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pays off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pays%20off. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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