payroll

noun

pay·​roll ˈpā-ˌrōl How to pronounce payroll (audio)
1
: a paymaster's or employer's list of those entitled to pay and of the amounts due to each
2
: the sum necessary for distribution to those on a payroll
also : the money to be distributed

Examples of payroll in a Sentence

They cut him from their payroll. He's the manager of a baseball team with a $50 million payroll. Businesses are keeping their payrolls low by embracing new technologies.
Recent Examples on the Web It’s seen a gradual, orderly slowdown from the red-hot pace in 2021, when the labor market ascended from pandemic depths, but unemployment remains low and payroll growth is still humming along. Bryan Mena, CNN, 24 Mar. 2024 Media buys and payroll took up the rest of the Biden campaign's spending expenditures: $1.6 million was spent on media buys or production, while 141 staffers were listed as receiving payroll payments. Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2024 The 49ers will pick a little later in the fourth round this year and will forfeit a fifth-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft after being penalized by the NFL for payroll accounting errors at the close of the 2022 league year. Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024 Here are the things you'll be expected to do: Checklist • Office space, rent, rates, payroll, etc. Johan Hajji, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Critics question the mayor’s narrative, as well as the legitimacy of the audit, which was compiled by a former Oakland police official who’s currently on Thao’s payroll. Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 The Paycheck Protection Program allocated about $800 billion in loans through banks that were entirely guaranteed by the Small Business Administration and, in almost all instances, forgiven as long as the money was used for payroll and other legitimate overhead costs, according to the SBA. Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024 But spring training is relaxed and stress-free compared to the regular season, when Yamamoto will have to cope with the pressure to live up to his massive contract and to be an integral part of a team with a $300-million payroll and expectations of winning the World Series. Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024 By the end of 2023, her campaign listed four people on its payroll at a cost of less than $8,000 over the final three months of the year. Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'payroll.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1740, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of payroll was in 1740

Dictionary Entries Near payroll

Cite this Entry

“Payroll.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/payroll. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

payroll

noun
pay·​roll ˈpā-ˌrōl How to pronounce payroll (audio)
1
: a list of persons entitled to receive pay with the amounts due to each
2
: the amount of money necessary to pay those on a payroll
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!