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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pays off
  1. pays
  2. bribes
  3. pays up
  4. has
  5. meets
  6. buys
  7. seduces
Verb
  • Medicaid, the federal-state program that covers healthcare for low-income families, pays for at least 40% of births nationwide.
    — Andrew Jones, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The main hall is 329 years old and the roof leaks, and a temple at the head of a pilgrimage route doesn't generate the kind of money that pays for a roof.
    — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 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
  • Phillips’ job, which pays up to $264,000 a year, could be the first test.
    — Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • By contrast, Social Security pays up to $62,172 a year in 2026.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 16 July 2026
Definition of pays up
Verb
  • That was a new record and only once before has the number of moves hit double figures.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Thailand has the highest rate of civilian gun ownership in Southeast Asia, with around 15 guns per 100 people.
    — Kocha Olarn, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of has
Verb
  • This toilet meets Americans with Disabilities Act requirements for use and accessibility.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • While daytime staffing at its Sharp Mesa Vista behavioral health hospital already meets requirements, overnight shifts have been managed based on the number of patients in beds and on the severity of their illnesses.
    — Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of meets
Verb
  • Google is also offering a free six-month subscription to its AI Pro plan to anyone who buys the more expensive Pixel 11 Pro or Pixel 11 Pro XL models.
    — Barbara Ortutay, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Zum leases bus yards, buys buses and small student shuttle vans and connects them (via a tablet and GPS) to an app that allows parents and teachers alike to track the vehicles on their routes.
    — Maggie McGrath, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of buys
Verb
  • This is not the beautiful creature who seduces Odysseus in the poem.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2026
  • In the video, then-23-year-old Gugino plays a young woman who, after her rock star boyfriend cheats on her with her best friend, seduces an artist painting her portrait.
    — Scott Huver, PEOPLE, 12 July 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 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pays off

Nglish: Translation of pays off for Spanish Speakers

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