as in paying up
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in paying
to give what is owed for
I finally paid off the loan
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bribing
to influence someone with a bribe
she paid off the security guard so that she could steal whatever she liked
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Recent Examples of paying off
CNBC, 5 Feb. 2026
Aside from paying off interest and principal, additional funds from a $875-million fundraising campaign will go toward public art, collection moving costs, office renovations and general landscaping.
—Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Blueprint has garnered a global following for beating the market and paying off investors.
—Noelle Harff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
For the government, the investments in Feinberg were paying off.
—Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
Over the last four weeks, the Patriots have called almost 12 runs per game with an extra offensive lineman, and the extra beef is paying off.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
The experiments were paying off.
—Katie Thornton, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025
After years of struggling, cattle raisers are paying off debt and building out their operational infrastructures.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2025
The Dodgers' 2025 regular season did not go as many baseball experts expected, with the team battling several injuries throughout the roster and several big-money signings not paying off.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
While that was a bit less certain this time last year, Alphabet is now showing that the spending is paying off.
—CNBC, 5 Feb. 2026
Aside from paying off interest and principal, additional funds from a $875-million fundraising campaign will go toward public art, collection moving costs, office renovations and general landscaping.
—Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Blueprint has garnered a global following for beating the market and paying off investors.
—Noelle Harff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
For the government, the investments in Feinberg were paying off.
—Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
Over the last four weeks, the Patriots have called almost 12 runs per game with an extra offensive lineman, and the extra beef is paying off.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
The experiments were paying off.
—Katie Thornton, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025
After years of struggling, cattle raisers are paying off debt and building out their operational infrastructures.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2025
The Dodgers' 2025 regular season did not go as many baseball experts expected, with the team battling several injuries throughout the roster and several big-money signings not paying off.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paying off
Verb
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In most of the cases, State Farm denied policyholders who had no connection to the company beyond paying their premiums.—
J.C. Hallman,
Oklahoman,
10 Feb. 2026
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For rural counties with limited money, not paying the attorneys on the juvenile docket allows the court to pay for jurors, attorneys on other dockets, courthouse improvements and more, Fransein said.—
Raynee Howell,
Oklahoma Watch,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Sun’s co-conspirator, John Chen, was sentenced to 20 months in prison in November 2024 in a separate case for acting as an unregistered agent of the People’s Republic of China and bribing an Internal Revenue Service agent in New York.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
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Then, in February of last year, Coral Gables criminal defense attorney David Macey was indicted along with Pagan on charges of bribing Costanzo to obtain confidential information about drug-trafficking suspects to recruit them as potential clients for his law firm.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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For example, other lenders charge for prepayment penalties, which Gravity doesn’t.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Some student loan repayment plans are ending this year.—
Lisa Hagen,
Hartford Courant,
11 Feb. 2026
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The Education Department is expected to develop a plan for borrowers to transition from the SAVE plan, yet borrowers should be proactive about enrolling in other repayment plans, said Kate Wood, a lending expert at NerdWallet.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Markus, says mounting media campaigns from federal prisons is hardly as simple as buying a ring light and pressing record.—
Andrew Zucker,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
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The agency owns additional acreage in the area, and Platform Ventures had expressed interest in buying about 305 more acres from Port KC for further industrial development.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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For any projects that FEMA rejects for reimbursement, local entities would have two years to repay the loan.—
ALEX ROZIER Mississippi Today,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
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It is not supposed to be a reimbursement program.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paying off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paying%20off. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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