pays off

present tense third-person singular of pay off

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 Three decades of running schools and businesses have convinced me this pays off in ordinary and measurable ways. Kelby Woodard, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026 Research suggests wildfire mitigation work pays off. Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026 Sometimes that strategy pays off. Claire Zillman, Fortune, 28 May 2026 Work with an agent who knows Charlotte Local expertise pays off in negotiation. Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 15 May 2026 Furthermore, Sharpe spent six months learning how to tinkle the ivories, an impressive commitment which pays off during the pivotal piano battles and ensures a welcome absence of clumsy cutaways from fingers to face. Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 8 May 2026 Until 2037 the effective rate will be closer to 28%, as the city pays off debts related to a separate, previous set of incentives. Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026 Experience, often in multiple systems, pays off at skill positions more than ever. Noah White, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026 The service This is where staying in a luxury hotel really pays off. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pays off
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
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
Verb
  • The Deluxe plan pays up to $6,500 per system and covers failures from rust, corrosion and sediment buildup.
    Sharon Wu, USA Today, 25 June 2026
  • Under current rules, each venue pays up to $15 million annually.
    Christopher Damien, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
Verb
  • The sport has a big future because of you guys.
    Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026
  • Legend has it that when an unsuspecting new man on the paper’s composing desk left out the agate type one day there were lots of problems for bettors and bookies across the city.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • Venezuela lies in a seismically active zone where the Caribbean Plate meets the South American Plate.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 25 June 2026
  • 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.
    ABC News, ABC News, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • So leadership allocates budget, buys a new AI tool and rolls it out with their fingers crossed.
    James Roth, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • And, when its time to sell, APMEX also buys gold, silver and platinum from consumers.
    Liz Knueven, CNBC, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • Blyth was nominated in the supporting role as Mildred's spoiled daughter, Veda, who seduces her mother's second husband (Zachary Scott), then riddles him with bullets in a jealous rage.
    ABC News, ABC News, 26 June 2026
  • Intrigued, the Duke secretly seduces Gilda, breaks her heart and destroys Rigoletto’s life.
    Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pays off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pays%20off. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on pays off

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster