1
2
as in to bribe
to influence someone with a bribe
she paid off the security guard so that she could steal whatever she liked
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in profit
the amount of money left when expenses are subtracted from the total amount received
the payoff on the investment was only about $500
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in pivotal
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of pay off
Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2026
The journey paid off, now meeting his Olympic moment.
—Mark Scaglione, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026
Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
While this can be a fun way to showcase your unique personality and style, Interior designer Lauren Lerner says the payoff from this design choice fades rather quickly.
—Ashlyn Needham, The Spruce, 4 Feb. 2026
Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pay off
Verb
With the size of the labor force stagnating, Pearce said economic growth will rely more on higher productivity, which is advancing amid cyclical strength and a more dynamic business environment while earlier research and development investments start to pay off.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2026
The journey paid off, now meeting his Olympic moment.
—Mark Scaglione, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
But this sport reserves its greatest rewards for the exceptional while demanding so much that exceptional seems the only acceptable payoff.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
While this can be a fun way to showcase your unique personality and style, Interior designer Lauren Lerner says the payoff from this design choice fades rather quickly.
—Ashlyn Needham, The Spruce, 4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Not wrong for much of the last three decades — but Saturday night’s gig, and all the joyous revelry surrounding it, showed why the Live ’25 Tour has been payoff enough for none of them to look back in anger at any of it.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pay off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pay off
Verb
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Those who make these claims apparently haven't been paying much attention these past four years, in particular to which side (hint, Russia) has been forced to shed most of that blood.—
Bradley Gitz,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
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Only recently had many countries stopped treating solo female travelers as a problem to be managed, no longer refusing them hotel rooms when traveling without a man, or denying them credit cards to pay for it.—
Lilit Marcus,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Even without bribing the bots to provide direct advertising, brands are already trying to find ways to get into the good books of AI search results.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Per capita income was just $4,000, and the government once tried to bribe me to provide more friendly coverage.—
Nicholas D. Kristof,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Over the same period, corporate profits, or the leftover cash used to grow a business or pay owners, have been on the rise, reaching nearly 12% of the share of gross domestic income in the third quarter, up from 6%.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
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Cineplex saw its fourth quarter profits and revenue fall on lower theater attendance.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Trump’s comments have also raised fears among Democrats and voting-rights groups that the president could try to intervene in this year’s pivotal midterm elections, as Republicans try to hold on to slim majorities in both chambers.—
Justin Papp,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
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The partnership was a pivotal moment for Williams and his brand.—
Tara Larson,
Footwear News,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Fast-food restaurants, once the first stop for Americans looking to get at least one meal in before a long work day, are fighting to win back customers.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
1 Sep. 2025
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Compared with Let’s Move’s easygoing recommendations—children should get at least one hour of physical activity each day, and everyone should drink one more glass of water—MAHA is also considerably more macho.—
Tom Bartlett,
The Atlantic,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Having the scientific community come into being with mindfulness is really the watershed moment.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
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That film, now recognized as a watershed moment, helped revolutionize the independent film business.—
Rena Ronson,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Palladium provides more generous guest access for airport lounges (up to two complimentary guests without having to meet a high spending threshold).—
Jason Stauffer,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
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Gilbert says that recently, someone told her about traveling alone in Asia and meeting another woman, in Thailand, who was also traveling on her own.—
Lilit Marcus,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Czech Republic has since stopped buying Russian oil, but Hungary and Slovakia used the EU’s exemption to deepen their dependence.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
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Everybody buys groceries, and everyone has felt the increase in costs over the last few years.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pay off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pay%20off. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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