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.

A large tax refund is not free money to pay down your credit card or an annual bonus so you can take a holiday; it’s an interest-free loan you have given the government.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 27, 2026

The company said it plans to use proceeds from the sales to pay down debt.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

Paramount relies heavily on cable channel profits to pay down debt and said Monday there were no plans to sell any cable channels.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2026

Investors rely on it as a proxy for the discretionary cash a company has left over after reinvesting in its business to reward shareholders or pay down debt.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 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

Related Words