pay 1 of 2

1
as in to compensate
to give (someone) the sum of money owed for goods or services received we need to pay the cashier and then we can leave

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to meet
to give what is owed for you ought to pay that bill before it's overdue

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
as in to yield
to produce as revenue an investment paying six percent

Synonyms & Similar Words

5

pay

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word pay distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of pay are compensate, indemnify, recompense, reimburse, remunerate, repay, and satisfy. While all these words mean "to give money or its equivalent in return for something," pay implies the discharge of an obligation incurred.

paid their bills

When might compensate be a better fit than pay?

The words compensate and pay are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, compensate implies a making up for services rendered.

an attorney well compensated for her services

When can indemnify be used instead of pay?

Although the words indemnify and pay have much in common, indemnify implies making good a loss suffered through accident, disaster, warfare.

indemnified the families of the dead miners

When would recompense be a good substitute for pay?

The meanings of recompense and pay largely overlap; however, recompense suggests due return in amends, friendly repayment, or reward.

passengers were recompensed for the delay

When could reimburse be used to replace pay?

The synonyms reimburse and pay are sometimes interchangeable, but reimburse implies a return of money that has been spent for another's benefit.

reimbursed employees for expenses

Where would remunerate be a reasonable alternative to pay?

In some situations, the words remunerate and pay are roughly equivalent. However, remunerate clearly suggests paying for services rendered and may extend to payment that is generous or not contracted for.

promised to remunerate the searchers handsomely

When is it sensible to use repay instead of pay?

While in some cases nearly identical to pay, repay stresses paying back an equivalent in kind or amount.

repay a favor with a favor

When is satisfy a more appropriate choice than pay?

While the synonyms satisfy and pay are close in meaning, satisfy implies paying a person what is required by law.

all creditors will be satisfied in full

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 pay
Verb
Con Edison also paid more than $130 million in charges associated with the 11-month outage at the plant. Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 22 Mar. 2025 School systems with weak property tax bases, including those in rural areas, depend on that money to pay teachers, pay for buses and buy classroom technology. Bianca Vázquez Toness, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2025
Noun
Failing to establish ground rules and expectations from the beginning can eat into your freelance business revenue because clients can take advantage of you, resulting in overwork without fair pay. Rachel Wells, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025 The Dolphins previously lowered Bradley Chubb’s cap hit by $19 million; his restructuring involved a pay cut. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pay
Verb
  • Pillar is compensated through advisory fees based on the company's gross asset value and net income.
    Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 20 Mar. 2025
  • While other marketers focused on engagement rate and follower count, Johnson emphasizes the long-term value of a creator’s likeness, arguing that creators should be compensated accordingly.
    Kristen Bousquet, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • San Diego college basketball teams are meeting the moment and making history.
    Kate Murphy, Axios, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Shower steamers are a safe way to enjoy the benefits of aromatherapy, in part because essential oils should always be diluted before use, which happens when the dissolving tablet meets the water and infuses into the steam.
    Annie Blackman, Allure, 16 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Two years later, Terrifier 3 had a $2 million budget, this time had a $500,000 P&A spend, and opened to almost $19 million on the way to a nearly $54 million domestic total.
    Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Plenty of celebs spend the morning of the Oscars adding a few babylights or getting their roots touched up.
    Leah Prinzivalli, Allure, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • To draw 3% from a portfolio yielding 1.2%, cash in the dividends and also 1.8% of the shares.
    William Baldwin, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
  • But, in general, a 1-inch piece of ginger will yield 1 Tablespoon, meaning three of these Dorot Gardens cubes.
    Katie Akin, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • In 2023, the city hired the formidable Carmela Levy-David as its new superintendent.
    Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Dusty May was hired last offseason to be the Michigan men's basketball coach after spending six seasons with Florida Atlantic.
    Ryan Canfield, Fox News, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Living in or near London was another factor, while his salary fits within Chelsea’s wage structure.
    Laurie Whitwell, The Athletic, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Carter chose the latter, where his starting salary was set at six hundred thousand dollars, or about $1.4 million today.
    Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Services deemed essential – such as border protection, air traffic control and power grid maintenance as well as payments for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid – would continue.
    Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Also, organizations that have contract cancelled or payments stalled will create a ripple effect beyond those immediately affected.
    Michael Lynch, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Bank small-dollar loans: Growing in popularity, these are typically less than $1,000 and repaid in a few weeks or months.
    Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
  • The company completed the redemption of its Preferred Shares and repaid its Senior Notes, reflecting a focus on optimizing its capital structure.
    Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pay. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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