pony up

Definition of pony upnext
as in to pay
to give what is owed for despite having good credit, the couple still had to pony up a large down payment for the house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 pony up That’s free enterprise — but Broward would pony up $17 million for the land and closing costs. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2026 Let massive companies pony up to pay for their pollution and tell your state representatives to pass the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2026 Commercial messages are further limited to a trio of on-air sponsors (IBM, AT&T and Mercedes-Benz), which pony up what amounts to a $25 million greens fee. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 10 Apr. 2026 Now in his 70s, Mike recently elected to give up his tickets rather than pony up for a PSL — a fee paid by customers of some NFL franchises to gain the right to purchase season tickets. Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 7 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pony up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pony up
Verb
  • Janet agreed to pay over $8,600 in restitution and complete 150 hours of community service.
    Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 14 June 2026
  • In early times, most humans barely paid attention to weather calamities because the region was so sparsely populated.
    Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2026
Verb
  • The government recently announced another recruitment drive, offering to pay off debts of up to $140,000 for men who sign up and might otherwise face penalties for defaulting.
    Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
  • Breaking that cycle pays off quickly.
    Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • Even in this setting where the president could reliably expect a warm reception, his entrance was met with a mix of cheers and boos.
    Isaac Arnsdorf, Washington Post, 16 June 2026
  • Gharibabadi said the 60-day negotiations between Tehran and Washington after Friday’s signing of the agreement will hinge on the US meeting several obligations, including the release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds.
    Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 15 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster