footing the bill

VERB

pay for

Synonyms

WEAK

bear the cost bear the expense finance pay the bill pick up the check pick up the tab pop for redeem spring for

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Since tips go straight to staff, it is quite likely that restaurants are using tips as a way to increase salaries without footing the bill," says Harris.

From BBC • May 27, 2026

Bezos has been footing the bill for the last 25 years, largely by selling Amazon shares.

From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026

Municipalities are the ones generally left footing the bill.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

Even the person footing the bill couldn’t quite comprehend how fast it all came together.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026

But she realized, even if the donor had been him, she was just grateful that Mamma and Papa wouldn’t be footing the bill.

From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon