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ponies up

verb

present tense third-person singular of pony up
as in pays
to give what is owed for despite having good credit, the couple still had to pony up a large down payment for the house

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 ponies up Under that plan, all of the 13 campuses in the system would freeze tuition for two years, provided the state ponies up $190 million in new support. — Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ponies up
  1. pays
  2. pays off
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
  • 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
Definition of pays off

Browse Nearby Words

ponies
ponies up
pons asinorum
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Cite this Entry

“Ponies up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ponies%20up. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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