Definitions

pay

[pey] / peɪ /

NOUN

earnings from employment

Synonyms

STRONGEST

allowance compensation fee income payment profit reimbursement remuneration reward salary stipend wage

STRONG

bacon bread commission consideration defrayment emoluments hire honorarium indemnity meed perquisite pittance proceeds reckoning recompense redress reparation requital return satisfaction scale settlement takings wages

WEAK

recompensation stipendium take-home

Antonyms

STRONGEST

debt loss penalty

VERB

give money for goods, services

Synonyms

STRONGEST

compensate disburse extend grant handle meet offer present refund reimburse repay settle

STRONG

adjust bequeath bestow clear confer defray discharge foot honor liquidate prepay proffer recompense recoup remit remunerate render requite reward satisfy stake

WEAK

bear the cost bear the expense chip in come through cough up dig up foot the bill hand over kick in make payment plunk down put up take care of

Antonyms

STRONGEST

deny deprive hold penalize refuse take take back withhold

STRONG

confuse dishonor dissatisfy dissuade fail keep upset

WEAK

earn lose

VERB

be advantageous

Synonyms

STRONGEST

benefit repay serve

WEAK

be worthwhile

Antonyms

STRONGEST

take

WEAK

earn lose

VERB

make amends

Synonyms

STRONGEST

compensate

STRONG

answer atone suffer

WEAK

be punished suffer consequences

Antonyms

WEAK

earn lose

VERB

profit, yield

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bring in pay off produce return

STRONG

sweeten

WEAK

be profitable be remunerative kick back make a return make money pay dividends pay out provide a living show gain show profit yield profit

Antonyms

WEAK

earn lose

VERB

get revenge

Synonyms

STRONGEST

pay back repay

STRONG

punish reciprocate recompense requite retaliate square

WEAK

avenge oneself get even make up for pay one's dues settle a score square things

Antonyms

STRONG

refuse

WEAK

earn lose

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.

However, living at such a prestigious home will not come cheap for the former prime minister, with estimates suggesting that he will have to pay $28,000 in annual taxes alone.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 12, 2026

Kanokpan Chantarapetch, 67, a retired provincial official, also came to pay her respects.

From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026

He can’t pay for his locker at the gym, lives alone in a rented room with two pet turtles and a poster of Rocky Marciano on the wall.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

“I didn’t pay this guy a cent,” Shell said Thursday.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

Some of them returned when they found out that if you couldn’t sign your name, you had to pay cash.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

pay

Example Sentences

Related Words