pay
1 of 4verb (1)
ˈpā 
paid ˈpād also in sense 7 payed; paying
also in sense 7 payed; paying transitive verb
1
a
: to make due return to for services rendered or property delivered
paid the pizza deliverer
b
: to engage for money : hire
You couldn't pay me to do that.
paid a teenager to mow his lawn
2
a
: to give in return for goods or service
pay wages
b
: to discharge indebtedness for : settle
pay a bill
c
: to make a disposal or transfer of (money)
paid a few dollars weekly into a savings account
3
: to give or forfeit in expiation or retribution
pay the penalty
4
a
: to make compensation (see compensation sense 2) for
His trouble was well paid in the end.
b
: to requite according to what is deserved
pay them back
5
: to give, offer, or make freely or as fitting
pay attention
pay your respects
6
a
: to return value or profit to
it pays you to stay open
b
: to bring in as a return
an investment paying five percent
7
: to slacken (something, such as a rope) and allow to run out —used with out
paid out the rope as it jerked taut
intransitive verb
1
: to discharge a debt or obligation
I'll pay when I have the money.
2
: to be worth the expense or effort
crime doesn't pay
3
: to suffer the consequences of an act
He paid for his crime.
pay
2 of 4noun
1
: something paid for a purpose and especially as a salary or wage : remuneration
2
a
: the act or fact of paying or being paid
b
: the status of being paid by an employer : employ
3
: a person viewed with respect to reliability or promptness in paying debts or bills
4
a
: ore or a natural deposit that yields metal and especially gold in profitable amounts
b
: an oil-yielding stratum or zone
pay
3 of 4adjective
1
: containing or leading to something precious or valuable
2
: equipped with a coin slot for receiving a fee for use
a pay telephone
3
: requiring payment
pay
4 of 4verb (2)
payed also paid; paying
transitive verb
: to coat with a waterproof composition
Synonyms
Verb (1)
- compensate
- recompense
- remunerate
Noun
- emolument
- hire
- packet [British]
- pay envelope
- paycheck
- payment
- salary
- stipend
- wage
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun He has been suspended without pay pending the results of the investigation. Each pay period begins on the first of the month. Workers received a $4,000 pay increase. I took a significant pay cut when I took this job, but I think it was worth it.
Recent Examples on the Web
Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 13 Sep. 2022 Private and religious schools in New York charge tuition but are budgeted to receive more than $650 million from the state this year to pay for textbooks, transportation and programs that serve students with disabilities. Jimmy Vielkind, WSJ, 13 Sep. 2022 The Chiefs reached a confidential settlement with Ariel’s family last year to pay for her ongoing medical treatment and other expenses. Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 13 Sep. 2022 Poor’s company is currently working on smaller agrivoltaics projects with partners willing to pay for the cost of materials, hoping to eventually ramp up to more expansive production as data rolls in. Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 13 Sep. 2022 Jimmy Amisial started a GoFundMe fundraiser in July to raise $60,000 to pay for the costly adoption, but has received over $167,000. Shepard Price, San Antonio Express-News, 13 Sep. 2022 All offered to pay for information, sometimes noting that the compensation would be high or apparently unrestricted. Ronan Farrow, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2022 Other promoters debuting or returning to L.A. after a few years away acknowledge that the pandemic was apocalyptic for live music and, post-comeback, no one quite knows what fans are willing to pay for. Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2022 Altman would charge a dime for his new, larger frankfurters, a sum that many thought was an absurd amount to pay for a hot dog. Adam Reiner, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2022 Kate Kassin, Bon Appétit, 14 Sep. 2022 Democrat Stacey Abrams, who is running against Kemp again after losing narrowly to him in 2018, has proposed boosting average teacher pay over four years to $75,000, and guaranteeing a starting salary of $50,000. Jeff Amy, ajc, 12 Sep. 2022 New findings from the Center for Generational Kinetics reveal the youngest cohort of workers prioritizes pay, scheduling flexibility, and benefits. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2022 The union has been in negotiations with university administration since June but expected to reach discussions on larger issues of pay, workload and parental leave during negotiations Friday. Jessie Molloy, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2022 The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNEWS and early prelims on ESPN+. Nolan King, USA TODAY, 9 Sep. 2022 In 2021, for the first time in decades, the gender pay gap actually increased in Britain. Laura Beers, CNN, 7 Sep. 2022 Seattle Public Schools canceled Wednesday's first day of school after teachers voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike over issues that include pay, mental health support, and staffing ratios for special education and multilingual students. CBS News, 7 Sep. 2022 Your lack of enthusiasm could be blamed on low pay, no workplace flexibility, skimpy benefits, too many unmotivated co-workers, bad management — any of a myriad of reasons. Phil Blair, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2022 Stephen Battaglio Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2022 The drug is so expensive at the wholesale level that private insurers place it in the highest co-pay categories; some won’t allow doctors to prescribe it without their prior approval, further narrowing patients’ access. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2022 More than 775 people have already signed up for the company's pre-pay membership, Precompose. Eileen Finan, PEOPLE.com, 17 June 2021 Or an expansion of co-pay coupons to Medicare, where they’re now banned? Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 16 Oct. 2020 See More
Verb
If a bowl of cereal topped with fruit is part of your morning routine, expect to pay more for it. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 13 Sep. 2022 Private and religious schools in New York charge tuition but are budgeted to receive more than $650 million from the state this year to pay for textbooks, transportation and programs that serve students with disabilities. Jimmy Vielkind, WSJ, 13 Sep. 2022 The Chiefs reached a confidential settlement with Ariel’s family last year to pay for her ongoing medical treatment and other expenses. Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 13 Sep. 2022 Poor’s company is currently working on smaller agrivoltaics projects with partners willing to pay for the cost of materials, hoping to eventually ramp up to more expansive production as data rolls in. Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 13 Sep. 2022 Jimmy Amisial started a GoFundMe fundraiser in July to raise $60,000 to pay for the costly adoption, but has received over $167,000. Shepard Price, San Antonio Express-News, 13 Sep. 2022 All offered to pay for information, sometimes noting that the compensation would be high or apparently unrestricted. Ronan Farrow, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2022 Other promoters debuting or returning to L.A. after a few years away acknowledge that the pandemic was apocalyptic for live music and, post-comeback, no one quite knows what fans are willing to pay for. Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2022 Altman would charge a dime for his new, larger frankfurters, a sum that many thought was an absurd amount to pay for a hot dog. Adam Reiner, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2022 Noun
Stella Dennig and Finn Stern opened their restaurant with an equal tip pool based on a 20% service fee, significantly higher-than-average pay starting at $25 per hour, and healthcare benefits, funded by raising menu prices by 5% across the board. Kate Kassin, Bon Appétit, 14 Sep. 2022 Democrat Stacey Abrams, who is running against Kemp again after losing narrowly to him in 2018, has proposed boosting average teacher pay over four years to $75,000, and guaranteeing a starting salary of $50,000. Jeff Amy, ajc, 12 Sep. 2022 New findings from the Center for Generational Kinetics reveal the youngest cohort of workers prioritizes pay, scheduling flexibility, and benefits. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2022 The union has been in negotiations with university administration since June but expected to reach discussions on larger issues of pay, workload and parental leave during negotiations Friday. Jessie Molloy, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2022 The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNEWS and early prelims on ESPN+. Nolan King, USA TODAY, 9 Sep. 2022 In 2021, for the first time in decades, the gender pay gap actually increased in Britain. Laura Beers, CNN, 7 Sep. 2022 Seattle Public Schools canceled Wednesday's first day of school after teachers voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike over issues that include pay, mental health support, and staffing ratios for special education and multilingual students. CBS News, 7 Sep. 2022 Your lack of enthusiasm could be blamed on low pay, no workplace flexibility, skimpy benefits, too many unmotivated co-workers, bad management — any of a myriad of reasons. Phil Blair, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2022 Adjective
The hope is that CNN+ will serve as a gateway to a post-pay TV world, connecting the brand’s familiar red and white letters to a generation of viewers who are growing up without cable. Stephen Battaglio Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2022 The drug is so expensive at the wholesale level that private insurers place it in the highest co-pay categories; some won’t allow doctors to prescribe it without their prior approval, further narrowing patients’ access. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2022 More than 775 people have already signed up for the company's pre-pay membership, Precompose. Eileen Finan, PEOPLE.com, 17 June 2021 Or an expansion of co-pay coupons to Medicare, where they’re now banned? Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 16 Oct. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb (1), Noun, and Adjective
Middle English, from Anglo-French paier, from Latin pacare to pacify, from pac-, pax peace
Verb (2)
obsolete French peier, from Latin picare, from pic-, pix pitch — more at pitch
First Known Use
Verb (1)
13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1856, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (2)
1610, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing pay
Kids Definition
pay 1 of 2
verb
ˈpā
paid
ˈpād
; paying 1
: to give (as money) in return for services received or for something bought
Pay the taxi driver.
I paid for a ticket.
2
: to give money for (something owed)
I have to pay the rent.
3
: to get even with
She wants to pay them back for the insult.
4
: to give or offer freely
pay a compliment
pay attention
5
: to have a worthwhile result : be worth the effort or pains required
It pays to drive carefully.
pay
2 of 2noun
1
: the act of giving money for something bought or used or for what is owed : payment
2
: salary My mother got an increase in pay.
pay 1 of 2
verb
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
- compensate
- repay
- reimburse
- refund
- remunerate
- recompense
- prepay
- pay up
- remit
- pay off
- requite
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- stiff
2
as in to meet
to give what is owed for you ought to pay that bill before it's overdue Synonyms & Similar Words
- meet
- balance
- settle
- stand
- pay up
- recompense
- discharge
- pay off
- foot
- liquidate
- clear
- quit
- pony up
- spring (for)
- ante (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- repudiate
3
as in to spend
to hand over or use up in payment rock fans were willing to pay enormous sums to get into the concert Synonyms & Similar Words
- spend
- give
- outlay
- disburse
- expend
- shell out
- lay out
- drop
- waste
- lavish
- fork (over, out, or up)
- rain
- squander
- blow
- throw away
- run through
- dissipate
- fritter (away)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- save
- earn
- make
- acquire
- win
- gain
- realize
- procure
- secure
- hoard
- lay up
- cache
- garner
4
as in to give
to produce as revenue an investment paying six percent Synonyms & Similar Words
- give
- yield
- return
- provide
- afford
- supply
- bear
- furnish
- net
- bring in
- pay off
5
as in to hire
to provide with a paying job pay someone to mow the lawn for the summer Synonyms & Similar Words
- hire
- employ
- recruit
- fee
- engage
- retain
- enlist
- assume
- place
- job
- lay on
- take on
- contract
- rehire
- sign (up or on)
- partner
- subcontract
- reemploy
- upgrade
- promote
- apprentice
- reengage
- advance
- scout
- headhunt
- keep (on)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- can
- sack
- dismiss
- discharge
- axe
- ax
- fire
- lay off
- lock out
- furlough
pay
2 of 2noun
1
as in salary
the money paid regularly to a person for labor or services it's difficult to support two children on her pay Synonyms & Similar Words
- salary
- wage
- payment
- paycheck
- stipend
- hire
- pay envelope
- emolument
- compensation
- reimbursement
- overtime
- repayment
- earnings
- reparation
- minimum wage
- redress
- double time
- nominal wages
- profit
- return
- living wage
- recompense
- take-home pay
- restitution
- packet
- remittance
- remuneration
- takings
- recoupment
- yield
- time and a half
- requital
2
as in payment
something (as money) that is given or received in return for goods or services we should demand pay for all the overtime we're putting in Synonyms & Similar Words
- payment
- compensation
- salary
- reparation
- consideration
- wage(s)
- recompense
- reimbursement
- remuneration
- remittance
- refund
- stipend
- outlay
- repayment
- indemnity
- rental
- adjustment
- deposit
- rent
- expenditure
- redress
- settlement
- rebate
- restitution
- prepayment
- disbursement
- recoupment
- overpayment
- requital
Synonym Chooser
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
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
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
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
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
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
While in some cases nearly identical to pay, repay stresses paying back an equivalent in kind or amount.
repay a favor with a favor
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