Definitions

pay down

VERB

spend

Synonyms

STRONGEST

allocate concentrate consume contribute donate drop employ expend give invest put in settle use waste

STRONG

absorb apply bestow blow confer defray deplete disburse dispense dissipate drain empty exhaust fritter lavish liquidate misspend squander

WEAK

ante up cast away come across come through cough up evote foot the bill hand out lay out outlay pay up run through shell out spring for throw away use up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

build hold keep neglect save shun take take away withhold

STRONG

fill hoard set aside

WEAK

be lazy earn get receive

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.

See Examples For:

pay down

Some of the smaller, privately held operators have used the current boom as an opportunity to pay down debt rather than focusing on getting ahead, he added.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026

Moved by her story, some WSJ readers found Lee and sent her money to help her pay down past debts during her search.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

Chief Executive David Zaslav opted not to renew the pricey basketball contract as Warner has been straining to pay down debt brought on by its last merger in 2022.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

But he wasn’t completely done with Whatnot: This year, he said, he spent more than $37,000, with money borrowed from a friend and credit cards he had worked to pay down.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

Many other Monticello people were later sold to pay down Jefferson’s debts.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

pay down

Example Sentences

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