pays up

present tense third-person singular of pay up
as in pays
to give what is owed for for once our bills are all paid up

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pays up Under current rules, each venue pays up to $15 million annually. Christopher Damien, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026 The SoonerSafe Rebate Program pays up to 75% of the cost of a new safe room, up to $3,000. Dale Denwalt, Oklahoman, 6 Mar. 2026 Norton, his interest piqued, pays up to discover there is more like it at Ox Lake, 600 miles farther north in the open tundra known as the Barren Grounds. Malcolm Forbes, Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2026 In the most severe cases, the state pays up to $86,000 annually for a person’s home care, Reiskin said. Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pays up
Verb
  • The agency also pays for 10 shelter beds at the Gateway Center and Salvation Army.
    Sara Gregory, AJC.com, 18 June 2026
  • The Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund—the primary fund that pays retirement benefits—is now projected to run dry in 2032, one year sooner than last year’s estimate.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • The real argument is not that persistence pays off or that inner work guarantees outer results.
    Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
  • Research suggests wildfire mitigation work pays off.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pays up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pays%20up. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.

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