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.

It was becoming abundantly clear it wasn't going to see the light of day yet, because of rows within government about how to pay for it.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

The no-frills airline requires at least one parent to sit with children aged two to 11 during a flight, but that means they must pay for what it calls a "mandatory family seat".

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

Should one person go grocery shopping for the whole weekend and we just pay them back?

From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026

Appealing does appear to pay off: Of the 18% of patients who did appeal, nearly all of them were able to overturn the initial denial of skilled nursing care.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

They admitted it didn’t pay to keep it for just us straggle of kids who went there.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

pay

Example Sentences

Related Words