pay grade
noun
: a level of compensation for work especially when understood to reflect responsibility and authority
"People listen to you regardless of your pay grade," a Goldman managing director told me. "There is a real respect for the individual voice."—
John Cassidy
—often used figurativelyJohn CassidyThe unanswerable questions ascend into the skies, far above your pay grade, whatever it may be.—Robert W. Lucky
Robert W. LuckyUnfortunately … he appears to think the task of community development is below his pay grade.—Faith Bautista
Faith BautistaNo one will read this book and come away wondering if steroids really work. Oh, they work. They bump a competitor up a whole pay grade—from finishing in the middle of the pack in the final heat to breaking the tape and collecting the winner's bonus.—Michael Sokolove
Michael SokoloveExamples of pay grade in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Former staff leaked internal spats and embarrassing editorial ideas by the new leadership and pointed out that many top leaders were banging away at stories that were likely below their pay grade.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 9 June 2025
These are all difficult decisions that have to be made far above my pay grade.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 6 June 2025
Homestead Police Chief Mario Knapp confirmed that after an internal affairs investigation, Perez, a 29-year police veteran, was disciplined, demoted and his pay grade was lowered.
—Charles Rabin, Miami Herald, 27 May 2025
Yet the maximum pay grade of a solid waste laborer is currently just $44,233.
—Zac Blanchard, Baltimore Sun, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pay grade
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Max Tani, semafor.com, 9 June 2025
These are all difficult decisions that have to be made far above my pay grade.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 6 June 2025
Homestead Police Chief Mario Knapp confirmed that after an internal affairs investigation, Perez, a 29-year police veteran, was disciplined, demoted and his pay grade was lowered.
—Charles Rabin, Miami Herald, 27 May 2025
Yet the maximum pay grade of a solid waste laborer is currently just $44,233.
—Zac Blanchard, Baltimore Sun, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pay grade
Cite this Entry
“Pay grade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pay%20grade. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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