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
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
Residents can request the HOA be turned over to them, but Pulte also currently pays off the HOA’s yearly budget shortfall, according to company officials.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
And sometimes, all that effort pays off.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 6 Feb. 2026
All that work building a mental map of London pays off in more ways than one.
—Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
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
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
Residents can request the HOA be turned over to them, but Pulte also currently pays off the HOA’s yearly budget shortfall, according to company officials.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
And sometimes, all that effort pays off.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 6 Feb. 2026
All that work building a mental map of London pays off in more ways than one.
—Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pays off
Verb
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Her mom pays her for her work in cash, privileges and Ugg boots.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
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The plaintiffs are demanding that Cento bears the cost of the class notice and pays $25 million or more to the class members.—
Chiara Kim,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
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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The SoonerSafe Rebate Program pays up to 75% of the cost of a new safe room, up to $3,000.—
Dale Denwalt,
Oklahoman,
6 Mar. 2026
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Norton, his interest piqued, pays up to discover there is more like it at Ox Lake, 600 miles farther north in the open tundra known as the Barren Grounds.—
Malcolm Forbes,
Washington Post,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Loosely based on the nonfiction book You and I—The Illness Suddenly Gets Worse by Makiko Miyano and Maho Isono, the story follows the French director of a nursing home who attempts to introduce a more humane care technique and meets a terminally ill Japanese playwright.—
Rebecca Ford,
Vanity Fair,
6 May 2026
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Accessibility Although there are areas where design overrules function, the majority of the resort meets ADA standards with ramps and wheelchair-friendly pathways.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 May 2026
Verb
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The conceit also has a moral dimension.—
Alex Barasch,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
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But Indiana still has key members of that team returning next season, including Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, and Aaron Nesmith.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Campaign officials cited spending well above $25 million, citing $28 million in television ad buys alone.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
8 May 2026
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The company operates 17 hydropower facilities on the Snake River and its tributaries, and also buys hydropower seasonally from 68 small-scale projects across its service area, according to Bowlin.—
Angela Palermo
May 7,
Idaho Statesman,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Intrigued, the Duke secretly seduces Gilda, breaks her heart and destroys Rigoletto’s life.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
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The victim of his sacrifice is Gretchen, a virgin whom Faust seduces and abandons in his devilish reverie, and who kills their illegitimate child.—
Merve Emre,
New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pays off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pays%20off. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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