Pay — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun adjective /ˈpā/

Meaning & Definition of Pay

Pay (verb)

  1. to make due return to for services rendered or property delivered
  2. to engage for money, hire
  3. to give in return for goods or service
  4. to coat with a waterproof composition

Pay (noun)

  1. something paid for a purpose and especially as a salary or wage, remuneration
  2. the act or fact of paying or being paid
  3. the status of being paid by an employer, employ

Pay (adjective)

  1. containing or leading to something precious or valuable
  2. equipped with a coin slot for receiving a fee for use
  3. requiring payment

Pay (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to give (someone) the sum of money owed for goods or services received

    "we need to pay the cashier and then we can leave"

    similar: compensate, recompense, remunerate
    related: refund, reimburse, repay, requite, remit, pay off, pay up, prepay
    near: stiff

  2. to give what is owed for

    "you ought to pay that bill before it's overdue"

    similar: ante (up), balance, clear, discharge, foot, liquidate, meet, pay off, pay up, pony up, quit, recompense, settle, spring (for), stand
    opposite: repudiate

  3. to hand over or use up in payment

    "rock fans were willing to pay enormous sums to get into the concert"

    similar: disburse, drop, expend, fork (over, out, or up), give, lay out, outlay, shell out, spend
    related: lavish, rain, blow, dissipate, fritter (away), run through, squander, throw away, waste
    near: cache, hoard, lay up, save, acquire, earn, gain, garner, make, procure, realize, secure, win

  4. to produce as revenue

    "an investment paying six percent"

    similar: bear, give, return, yield
    related: bring in, net, afford, furnish, provide, supply, pay off

  5. to provide with a paying job

    "pay someone to mow the lawn for the summer"

    similar: assume, employ, engage, fee (chiefly Scottish), hire, lay on (chiefly British), place, recruit, retain, sign (up or on), take on
    related: reemploy, reengage, rehire, apprentice, contract, job, partner, subcontract, enlist, advance, promote, upgrade, keep (on), headhunt, scout
    opposite: ax, can, discharge, dismiss, fire, sack
    near: furlough, lay off, lock out

Pay (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the money paid regularly to a person for labor or services

    "it's difficult to support two children on her pay"

    similar: emolument, hire, packet (British), pay envelope, paycheck, payment, salary, stipend, wage
    related: living wage, minimum wage, nominal wages, take-home pay, double time, overtime, time and a half, compensation, recompense, remittance, remuneration, requital, return, recoupment, redress, reparation, restitution, reimbursement, repayment, earnings, profit, takings, yield

  2. something (as money) that is given or received in return for goods or services

    "we should demand pay for all the overtime we're putting in"

    similar: compensation, consideration, payment, recompense, remittance, remuneration, requital
    related: salary, stipend, wage(s), disbursement, expenditure, outlay, rebate, refund, indemnity, recoupment, redress, reparation, restitution, adjustment, settlement, deposit, reimbursement, repayment, prepayment, overpayment, rent, rental

Related Entry: Pay envelope (noun)

Pay envelope is a different word from Pay. The synonyms below are for pay envelope, not for pay.

  1. the money paid regularly to a person for labor or services

    "with this recession going on, workers shouldn't be expecting fatter pay envelopes"

    similar: emolument, hire, packet (British), pay, paycheck, payment, salary, stipend, wage
    related: living wage, minimum wage, nominal wages, take-home pay, double time, overtime, time and a half, compensation, recompense, remittance, remuneration, requital, return, recoupment, redress, reparation, restitution, reimbursement, repayment, earnings, profit, takings, yield

Related Entry: Pay off (verb)

Pay off is a different word from Pay. The synonyms below are for pay off, not for pay.

  1. to give what is owed for

    "I finally paid off the loan"

    similar: ante (up), balance, clear, discharge, foot, liquidate, meet, pay, pay up, pony up, quit, recompense, settle, spring (for), stand
    opposite: repudiate

  2. to influence someone with a bribe

    "she paid off the security guard so that she could steal whatever she liked"

    similar: bribe, buy, corrupt, have, square, get at, grease the hand of, oil the hand of
    related: fix, tamper (with), abase, debase, debauch, defile, degrade, demean, deprave, dishonor, pervert, poison, profane, prostitute, subvert, taint, warp, allure, bait, beguile, entice, lead on, lure, seduce, tempt, motivate, provoke, spur, stimulate, goad, induce, flatter, persuade, snare, trap

Related Entry: Pay up (verb)

Pay up is a different word from Pay. The synonyms below are for pay up, not for pay.

  1. to give what is owed for

    "for once our bills are all paid up"

    similar: ante (up), balance, clear, discharge, foot, liquidate, meet, pay, pay off, pony up, quit, recompense, settle, spring (for), stand
    opposite: repudiate

Related Entry: Pay back (phrase)

Pay back is a different word from Pay. The synonyms below are for pay back, not for pay.

  1. to make a return payment to

    "I already paid back what I owed you for groceries."

    similar: refund, reimburse, repay
    related: give back, reciprocate, render (to), compensate, recompense, remunerate, liquidate, pay down, pay off, pay up, quit, satisfy, settle

Related Entry: Pay (for) (verb)

Pay (for) is a different word from Pay. The synonyms below are for pay (for), not for pay.

  1. as in finance, spring (for)

    similar: expend, finance, outlay, pony up, spring (for), cover, pick up, purchase, take, afford, go, swing, acquire, get, obtain, procure, secure, bid, offer, bankroll, endow, subsidize, underwrite

Related Entry: Pay dirt (noun)

Pay dirt is a different word from Pay. The synonyms below are for pay dirt, not for pay.

  1. as in strike, treasure trove

    similar: strike, treasure trove, discovery, find, breakthrough

Related Entry: Pay dirts (noun)

Pay dirts is a different word from Pay. The synonyms below are for pay dirts, not for pay.

  1. as in strikes, treasure troves

    similar: strikes, treasure troves, discoveries, finds, breakthroughs

Related Entry: Pay down (verb)

Pay down is a different word from Pay. The synonyms below are for pay down, not for pay.

  1. as in pay off, settle

    similar: liquidate, pay off, pay up, quit, satisfy, settle, compensate, recompense, remunerate, give back, reciprocate, render (to), refund, reimburse, repay

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Pay

The most common words with a similar meaning to Pay:

Chiefly Scottish: fee
Chiefly British: lay on
British: packet
compensate, recompense, remunerate, ante (up), balance, clear, discharge, foot, liquidate, meet, pay off, pay up, pony up, quit, settle, spring (for), stand, disburse, drop, expend, fork (over, out, or up), give, lay out, outlay, shell out, spend, bear, return, yield, assume, employ, engage, hire, place, recruit, retain, sign (up or on), take on, emolument, pay envelope

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Pay

Words with the opposite meaning of Pay:

repudiate, ax, can, discharge, dismiss, fire, sack

Related Words for Pay

refund, reimburse, repay, requite, remit, prepay, lavish, rain, blow, dissipate, fritter (away), run through, squander, throw away, waste, bring in, net, afford, furnish, provide, supply, reemploy, reengage, rehire, apprentice, contract, job, partner, subcontract, enlist

Near Antonyms of Pay

stiff, cache, hoard, lay up, save, acquire, earn, gain, garner, make, procure, realize, secure, win, furlough, lay off, lock out

Word Forms of Pay

Inflections: paid, payed, paying

Origin & Etymology of Pay

Middle English, from Anglo-French paier, from Latin pacare to pacify, from pac-, pax peace

First known use: 13th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Pay

Words & Phrases Containing Pay

pay-as-you-go, pay cable, pay dirt, pay down, pay envelope

Frequently Asked Questions about Pay

What does "Pay" mean?

"Pay" means to make due return to for services rendered or property delivered. As an a verb, a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: to make due return to for services rendered or property delivered. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Pay"?

Other words for "Pay" include compensate, recompense, remunerate, ante (up), balance, clear, discharge and foot. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Pay" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Pay"?

There are 117 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Pay". Common alternatives include compensate, recompense, remunerate, ante (up), balance, clear, discharge, foot, liquidate and meet.

What is the opposite of "Pay"?

Antonyms of "Pay" include repudiate, ax, can, discharge, dismiss, fire and sack. Near antonyms include stiff, cache, hoard and lay up.

How do you use "Pay" in a sentence?

Examples of "Pay" in a sentence: "we need to pay the cashier and then we can leave"; "you ought to pay that bill before it's overdue"; "rock fans were willing to pay enormous sums to get into the concert".

Is "Pay" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Pay" can be used as a verb, a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

Is "Pay" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Pay" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Pay"?

"Pay" is pronounced /ˈpā/.