ponying up

Definition of ponying upnext
present participle of pony up
as in paying
to give what is owed for despite having good credit, the couple still had to pony up a large down payment for the house

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ponying up
Verb
  • Importing higher-paying—and oftentimes higher-achieving—students benefits a school during boom times, when universities have seemingly infinite choice among applicants.
    Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 19 May 2026
  • Adani, one of the world’s richest people, was accused in 2024 of paying massive bribes to ensure the project’s success.
    Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2026
Verb
  • Less than a year in, Arthur Blank's big donation to Atlanta's historically Black colleges and universities is already paying off.
    CBS News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 14 May 2026
  • In any relationship, couples make a lot of decisions about finances, from whether to create joint accounts or keep them separate to how to approach paying off debt.
    Joy Harden Bradford, AJC.com, 7 May 2026
Verb
  • Depending on the product, shoppers were paying up to 23% more than other shoppers for identical items.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Packing too many could mean paying extra luggage fees, but packing too few could mean paying up to 30 percent extra for a book at the airport.
    Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 22 Apr. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Ponying up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ponying%20up. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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