pay 1 of 2

1
as in to compensate
to give (someone) the sum of money owed for goods or services received we need to pay the cashier and then we can leave

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to meet
to give what is owed for you ought to pay that bill before it's overdue

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
as in to yield
to produce as revenue an investment paying six percent

Synonyms & Similar Words

5

pay

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word pay distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of pay are compensate, indemnify, recompense, reimburse, remunerate, repay, and satisfy. While all these words mean "to give money or its equivalent in return for something," pay implies the discharge of an obligation incurred.

paid their bills

When might compensate be a better fit than pay?

The words compensate and pay are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, compensate implies a making up for services rendered.

an attorney well compensated for her services

When can indemnify be used instead of pay?

Although the words indemnify and pay have much in common, indemnify implies making good a loss suffered through accident, disaster, warfare.

indemnified the families of the dead miners

When would recompense be a good substitute for pay?

The meanings of recompense and pay largely overlap; however, recompense suggests due return in amends, friendly repayment, or reward.

passengers were recompensed for the delay

When could reimburse be used to replace pay?

The synonyms reimburse and pay are sometimes interchangeable, but reimburse implies a return of money that has been spent for another's benefit.

reimbursed employees for expenses

Where would remunerate be a reasonable alternative to pay?

In some situations, the words remunerate and pay are roughly equivalent. However, remunerate clearly suggests paying for services rendered and may extend to payment that is generous or not contracted for.

promised to remunerate the searchers handsomely

When is it sensible to use repay instead of pay?

While in some cases nearly identical to pay, repay stresses paying back an equivalent in kind or amount.

repay a favor with a favor

When is satisfy a more appropriate choice than pay?

While the synonyms satisfy and pay are close in meaning, satisfy implies paying a person what is required by law.

all creditors will be satisfied in full

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 pay
Verb
In 2017, the county paid $100,000 for NCCHC consultants to tour its four largest jails and flag any deficiencies that would keep the sheriff from earning accreditation. Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2025 In April 2023, Fox News Media paid a $787.5 million settlement and acknowledged that statements were false. Charna Flam, People.com, 9 May 2025
Noun
More than a dozen former workers verified details about their own pay shown in the spreadsheet. Rob Davis, ProPublica, 25 Apr. 2025 And, post pandemic, large systems such as Kaiser Permanente, UC San Diego Health, Scripps Health and Sharp HealthCare have all increased pay significantly, competing for a smaller pool of nurses and other medical personnel after many left the profession due to burnout. Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pay
Verb
  • What To Know Electric vehicle registration fees vary widely across the country, with some states already charging EV drivers more to compensate for their lack of fuel tax contributions.
    Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
  • Trained as an electronic engineer at a school of advanced studies in Venezuela, Pernía, 37, has had to compensate for his losses by working as a driver, using his car to support his wife and child.
    Gustavo Ocando Alex, Miami Herald, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • Randy Haight – at the time a young patrol officer who was at the crime scene — met his partner at the hospital.
    Erin Moriarty, Liza Finley, CBS News, 4 May 2025
  • The actress, who played Officer Eddie Janko-Reagan, first met Beard at a rehearsal in 2009.
    Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 3 May 2025
Verb
  • And four years later, their collection of groups spent $42 million to unsuccessfully keep Trump from becoming the nominee for a third time.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 2 May 2025
  • Trump, Biden allies divided over GDP report One crisis away from homelessness While discretionary spending is somewhat determined by priorities, income is the key factor when calculating what and where to spend.
    Rachel Barber, USA Today, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • As a collective, HQ Portfolio stocks have yielded superior returns with less risk in comparison to the benchmark index; resulting in a less turbulent experience, as evidenced in HQ Portfolio performance metrics.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Health plans improved on the other three measures, but not enough to avoid penalties, which yielded $15 million.
    Bernard J. Wolfson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • As Kiew has observed, there has also been a shift in hiring priorities.
    William Jones, USA Today, 3 May 2025
  • Consider hiring a professional for more complicated or dangerous jobs. 4.
    Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2025
Noun
  • The good news for the Kings is that his next contract comes at a time when the salary cap rises from $95.5 million to $113.5 million over the next three seasons.
    Eric Stephens, New York Times, 3 May 2025
  • But Morris’ fortunes had seemingly improved by 2019, when he was hired as CSUN’s director of equity and compliance with a $150,000 salary, according to school records reviewed by The Times.
    Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2025
Noun
  • Apple in 2020 had pulled Epic's account after the company let iPhone users navigate outside Apple's ecosystem for better payment deals.
    Mike Scarcella, USA Today, 2 May 2025
  • In 2021, the judge said Apple’s App Store policies didn’t violate federal antitrust law, but still required the company to allow developers to avoid its in-app payment tool and its up-to-30% commission.
    BYAndrew Nusca, Fortune, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • Meanwhile, credit quality held steady, with losses below 1% in the company’s core offering that allows users to repay loans in four installments.
    MacKenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 8 May 2025
  • Allow employees to allocate employer contributions to retirement, emergency savings, repaying student loans and other financial priorities.
    Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pay. Accessed 13 May. 2025.

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