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
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
The conceit is risky but pays off.
—Literary Hub, 31 Oct. 2025
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
The conceit is risky but pays off.
—Literary Hub, 31 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pays off
Verb
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Wells pays someone to mow her lawn.—
David A. Lieb,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The state’s Next Level Jobs program pays the tuition for students to take classes for high-demand jobs, Dulin said.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 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
-
Effortless durability meets elevated style in these pieces that take constant upkeep out of the equation.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Rooms California-cool meets Big Bear coziness here, with light, airy rooms warmed up by charming blue plaid chairs, thick wooden furniture, and floral wallpapers in various coastal shades.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Earnings from India’s bellwether software services exporters have reinforced investor concerns about the sector’s growth prospects, signaling that the downturn in their stocks has further to run.—
Ashutosh Joshi,
Bloomberg,
27 Apr. 2026
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Lincoln-Way West’s Owen Chudzinski has a love for baseball that goes back a long way.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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While Berkshire has generally not specified who buys specific stocks in the portfolio, Combs has been thought to favor technology and financials.—
Alex Crippen,
CNBC,
25 Apr. 2026
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As head of documentary and commissioning editor at VRT Canvas, Gommers buys, commissions, produces and co-produces standalone documentaries and documentary series alike.—
Kevin Giraud,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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 2 May. 2026.
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