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.

Armstrong adds that investors should get a discount for forfeiting control: "I want to pay less for a company where my ownership does not include control."

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

In the future, they could pay to be the apps that Siri pings to complete tasks.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

More: You’re going to pay tax on RMDs — there’s no way around it.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026

“With a differentiated architecture, a step-change in contracted revenue from OpenAI and AWS, and a market only now learning to pay for speed, we see an asymmetric, upside-skewed setup,” wrote Wedbush’s Bryson.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

Everything else had gone to pay the rent, and there was no food.

From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff

pay

Example Sentences

Related Words