Synonyms for pay
peɪpay

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:3.5 / 2 votes

1. paynoun

   An allowance is a stipulated amount furnished at regular intervals as a matter of discretion or gratuity, as of food to besieged soldiers, or of money to a child or ward. Compensation is a comprehensive word signifying a return for a service done. Remuneration is applied to matters of great amount or importance. Recompense is a still wider and loftier word, with less suggestion of calculation and market value; there are services for which affection and gratitude are the sole and sufficient recompense; earnings, fees, hire, pay, salary, and wages are forms of compensation and may be included in compensation, remuneration, or recompense. Pay is commercial and strictly signifies an exact pecuniary equivalent for a thing or service, except when the contrary is expressly stated, as when we speak of "high pay" or "poor pay." Wages denotes what a worker receives. Earnings is often used as exactly equivalent to wages, but may be used with reference to the real value of work done or service rendered, and even applied to inanimate things; as, the earnings of capital. Hire is distinctly mercenary or menial, but as a noun has gone out of popular use, tho the verb to hire is common. Salary is for literary or professional work, wages for handicraft or other comparatively inferior service; a salary is regarded as more permanent than wages; an editor receives a salary, a compositor receives wages. Stipend has become exclusively a literary word. A fee is given for a single service or privilege, and is sometimes in the nature of a gratuity. Compare REQUITE.

   Synonyms:
   allowance, compensation, earnings, fee, hire, honorarium, payment, recompense, remuneration, requital, salary, stipend, wages

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. paynoun

   Synonyms:
   wages, salary, stipend, recompense, payment

2. payverb

   Synonyms:
   compensate, remunerate, satisfy, discharge, expend, disburse, requite, liquidate

   Antonyms:
   deprive, defraud, exact, dissatisfy, hoard, retain, invest, fund

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. wage, pay, earnings, remuneration, salaryverb

   something that remunerates

   "wages were paid by check"; "he wasted his pay on drink"; "they saved a quarter of all their earnings"

   Synonyms:
   profit, salary, lucre, wage, net income, earnings, profits, net, net profit, remuneration

2. payverb

   give money, usually in exchange for goods or services

   "I paid four dollars for this sandwich"; "Pay the waitress, please"

   Synonyms:
   ante up, pay up, give, devote, yield, make up, compensate, pay off, bear

3. give, payverb

   convey, as of a compliment, regards, attention, etc.; bestow

   "Don't pay him any mind"; "give the orders"; "Give him my best regards"; "pay attention"

   Synonyms:
   make up, commit, chip in, dedicate, cave in, collapse, impart, compensate, pass on, move over, return, establish, reach, present, have, fall in, make, throw, ante up, gift, kick in, feed, break, ease up, apply, give, grant, open, founder, devote, pay up, hold, pass, render, sacrifice, yield, turn over, leave, give way, consecrate, generate, contribute, afford, pay off, hand, bear

4. pay up, ante up, payverb

   cancel or discharge a debt

   "pay up, please!"

   Synonyms:
   ante up, pay up, give, yield, make up, compensate, pay off, devote, bear

5. yield, pay, bearverb

   bring in

   "interest-bearing accounts"; "How much does this savings certificate pay annually?"

   Synonyms:
   digest, abide, succumb, comport, tolerate, deliver, make up, compensate, behave, move over, return, endure, hold, put up, concede, have, expect, give in, deport, give way, assume, give, stick out, take over, ante up, pay up, ease up, carry, cede, grant, knuckle under, support, devote, birth, relent, buckle under, render, have a bun in the oven, soften, acquit, brook, yield, turn out, conduct, suffer, contain, stand, gestate, stomach, generate, accept, afford, pay off, give birth, wear, bear

6. pay, pay off, make up, compensateverb

   do or give something to somebody in return

   "Does she pay you for the work you are doing?"

   Synonyms:
   even off, right, get, liquidate, make up, compensate, patch up, recompense, cover, fix, remunerate, even out, fabricate, pay back, make, be, redeem, ante up, reconcile, correct, invent, counterbalance, give, overcompensate, catch up with, manufacture, devote, pay up, represent, conciliate, comprise, even up, repair, yield, cook up, buy off, indemnify, redress, constitute, pay off, settle, bear

7. give, pay, devoteverb

   dedicate

   "give thought to"; "give priority to"; "pay attention to"

   Synonyms:
   make up, commit, chip in, dedicate, cave in, collapse, impart, compensate, pass on, move over, return, establish, reach, present, have, fall in, make, throw, ante up, gift, kick in, feed, break, ease up, apply, give, grant, open, founder, devote, pay up, hold, pass, render, sacrifice, yield, turn over, leave, give way, consecrate, generate, contribute, afford, pay off, hand, bear

8. payverb

   be worth it

   "It pays to go through the trouble"

   Synonyms:
   ante up, pay up, give, devote, yield, make up, compensate, pay off, bear

9. payverb

   render

   "pay a visit"; "pay a call"

   Synonyms:
   ante up, pay up, give, devote, yield, make up, compensate, pay off, bear

10. payverb

    bear (a cost or penalty), in recompense for some action

    "You'll pay for this!"; "She had to pay the penalty for speaking out rashly"; "You'll pay for this opinion later"

    Synonyms:
    ante up, pay up, give, devote, yield, make up, compensate, pay off, bear

11. payverb

    make a compensation for

    "a favor that cannot be paid back"

    Synonyms:
    ante up, pay up, give, devote, yield, make up, compensate, pay off, bear

12. payverb

    discharge or settle

    "pay a debt"; "pay an obligation"

    Synonyms:
    ante up, pay up, give, devote, yield, make up, compensate, pay off, bear

Matched Categories

1. • Be
   • Communicate
   • Endure
   • Give
   • Make
   • Requite
   • Settle
   • Think

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. payverb

   Synonyms:
   discharge, settle, liquidate, cash

2. payverb

   Synonyms:
   compensate, recompense, requite, remunerate, reward, make payment to

3. payverb

   Synonyms:
   punish, take revenge upon, retort upon

4. payverb

   Synonyms:
   (Naut.) smear (with tar or pitch)

5. payverb

   Synonyms:
   make compensation

6. payverb

   Synonyms:
   be profitable, be remunerative, make a good return, be a good investment, give a good interest

7. paynoun

   Synonyms:
   compensation, recompense, remuneration, reward, requital, wages, salary, stipend, hire, allowance

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. paynoun

   Synonyms:
   compensation, remuneration, recompense, requital, emolument, salary, wages, fee, tip, honorarium, stipend, reward, hire, allowance, perquisite

2. payverb

   Synonyms:
   compensate, remunerate, recompense, requite, indemnify, reward, commute, retaliate, punish, liquidate, defray, settle, discharge, be profitable, disburse (payout)

   Antonyms:
   repudiate, protest, bilk, defraud

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "pay":

   remuneration, wage, salary, payment, payroll, compensation, paying, wages, paid, pays, salaries, earnings, emoluments, repay, paycheck, balance, remit, give, afford, payable, provide, devote, loon, lend, buy, foot, make, reimburse, payments, cover, defray, grant, disburse, treatment

Suggested Resources

1. PAY

   What does PAY stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the PAY acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

How to pronounce pay?

How to say pay in sign language?

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

1. [["1507","3"],["1515","15"],["1520","10"],["1524","24"],["1563","30"],["1564","8"],["1568","4"],["1572","83"],["1574","1"],["1575","12"],["1579","37"],["1581","45"],["1582","45"],["1584","8"],["1587","2"],["1588","2"],["1589","7"],["1590","39"],["1592","10"],["1593","3"],["1594","2"],["1595","1"],["1600","66"],["1603","7"],["1606","6"],["1607","23"],["1610","3"],["1611","2"],["1612","19"],["1614","1"],["1618","3"],["1619","28"],["1620","13"],["1621","1"],["1624","12"],["1625","1"],["1626","1"],["1629","278"],["1630","13"],["1631","15"],["1632","5"],["1634","6"],["1635","30"],["1636","8"],["1637","93"],["1638","23"],["1640","10"],["1641","1"],["1642","3"],["1643","15"],["1644","44"],["1645","16"],["1646","4"],["1647","17"],["1648","45"],["1649","34"],["1650","65"],["1651","33"],["1652","25"],["1653","32"],["1655","23"],["1656","69"],["1657","46"],["1658","32"],["1659","32"],["1660","17"],["1661","7"],["1662","41"],["1663","19"],["1664","26"],["1665","23"],["1666","1"],["1667","62"],["1668","71"],["1669","18"],["1670","78"],["1671","19"],["1672","4"],["1673","90"],["1674","35"],["1675","132"],["1676","101"],["1677","43"],["1678","187"],["1679","68"],["1680","126"],["1681","265"],["1682","286"],["1683","708"],["1684","84"],["1685","210"],["1686","134"],["1687","404"],["1688","199"],["1689","43"],["1690","68"],["1691","34"],["1692","270"],["1693","78"],["1694","219"],["1695","27"],["1696","67"],["1697","123"],["1698","323"],["1699","195"],["1700","249"],["1701","299"],["1702","292"],["1703","418"],["1704","423"],["1705","374"],["1706","943"],["1707","437"],["1708","349"],["1709","377"],["1710","773"],["1711","679"],["1712","217"],["1713","356"],["1714","910"],["1715","758"],["1716","367"],["1717","378"],["1718","444"],["1719","336"],["1720","782"],["1721","1064"],["1722","652"],["1723","717"],["1724","1217"],["1725","1145"],["1726","796"],["1727","1457"],["1728","1488"],["1729","978"],["1730","1302"],["1731","1214"],["1732","1121"],["1733","617"],["1734","729"],["1735","947"],["1736","819"],["1737","1188"],["1738","1056"],["1739","1227"],["1740","1186"],["1741","1067"],["1742","981"],["1743","1290"],["1744","1538"],["1745","546"],["1746","807"],["1747","1796"],["1748","1474"],["1749","1337"],["1750","2469"],["1751","2827"],["1752","1938"],["1753","2193"],["1754","2532"],["1755","2747"],["1756","1029"],["1757","2057"],["1758","2213"],["1759","2936"],["1760","2137"],["1761","2880"],["1762","1741"],["1763","2962"],["1764","2606"],["1765","1636"],["1766","4050"],["1767","3121"],["1768","3940"],["1769","2743"],["1770","3737"],["1771","3263"],["1772","2776"],["1773","2504"],["1774","2712"],["1775","3019"],["1776","3450"],["1777","3131"],["1778","3528"],["1779","2329"],["1780","2753"],["1781","2331"],["1782","2647"],["1783","3084"],["1784","3695"],["1785","3117"],["1786","4531"],["1787","7562"],["1788","6340"],["1789","5635"],["1790","5193"],["1791","6712"],["1792","7272"],["1793","6003"],["1794","6997"],["1795","5993"],["1796","7250"],["1797","7092"],["1798","5127"],["1799","5993"],["1800","9520"],["1801","15735"],["1802","14527"],["1803","11975"],["1804","13416"],["1805","17058"],["1806","14796"],["1807","16200"],["1808","17212"],["1809","17430"],["1810","18223"],["1811","25122"],["1812","22594"],["1813","17853"],["1814","19927"],["1815","17461"],["1816","18248"],["1817","22888"],["1818","27417"],["1819","24721"],["1820","31507"],["1821","25578"],["1822","34205"],["1823","37787"],["1824","36702"],["1825","37530"],["1826","30797"],["1827","28171"],["1828","31542"],["1829","34488"],["1830","37150"],["1831","33365"],["1832","36844"],["1833","34043"],["1834","35799"],["1835","43410"],["1836","41260"],["1837","39494"],["1838","41459"],["1839","47781"],["1840","46468"],["1841","39858"],["1842","36748"],["1843","43466"],["1844","43958"],["1845","50172"],["1846","50031"],["1847","50086"],["1848","51088"],["1849","52489"],["1850","50743"],["1851","60303"],["1852","61098"],["1853","70847"],["1854","72040"],["1855","61760"],["1856","75829"],["1857","65852"],["1858","65102"],["1859","69288"],["1860","61208"],["1861","54071"],["1862","43838"],["1863","50374"],["1864","58193"],["1865","58829"],["1866","61052"],["1867","57759"],["1868","64209"],["1869","71975"],["1870","64731"],["1871","67431"],["1872","64515"],["1873","64895"],["1874","69123"],["1875","73467"],["1876","83244"],["1877","82739"],["1878","74971"],["1879","80951"],["1880","92148"],["1881","91212"],["1882","95764"],["1883","110481"],["1884","112180"],["1885","102656"],["1886","98962"],["1887","103050"],["1888","104277"],["1889","99302"],["1890","90880"],["1891","103798"],["1892","106166"],["1893","108280"],["1894","109888"],["1895","124245"],["1896","135066"],["1897","117766"],["1898","136354"],["1899","152613"],["1900","172948"],["1901","162326"],["1902","161371"],["1903","168869"],["1904","188552"],["1905","181748"],["1906","170019"],["1907","176863"],["1908","185478"],["1909","164183"],["1910","173995"],["1911","176093"],["1912","182792"],["1913","199085"],["1914","182774"],["1915","160439"],["1916","157210"],["1917","165605"],["1918","144558"],["1919","158063"],["1920","194084"],["1921","187129"],["1922","212867"],["1923","157188"],["1924","140969"],["1925","149096"],["1926","148487"],["1927","159461"],["1928","162121"],["1929","144087"],["1930","164337"],["1931","155922"],["1932","153400"],["1933","126983"],["1934","138255"],["1935","154790"],["1936","163019"],["1937","163649"],["1938","176019"],["1939","172039"],["1940","163999"],["1941","149493"],["1942","127742"],["1943","106238"],["1944","94398"],["1945","117302"],["1946","154358"],["1947","183461"],["1948","185908"],["1949","191860"],["1950","200086"],["1951","198219"],["1952","190925"],["1953","181494"],["1954","187932"],["1955","200952"],["1956","209331"],["1957","215048"],["1958","222242"],["1959","232181"],["1960","261565"],["1961","292659"],["1962","303233"],["1963","312678"],["1964","303142"],["1965","342996"],["1966","359604"],["1967","379807"],["1968","417887"],["1969","420727"],["1970","425048"],["1971","420029"],["1972","434453"],["1973","422000"],["1974","412687"],["1975","418121"],["1976","431312"],["1977","450687"],["1978","449535"],["1979","473821"],["1980","492656"],["1981","489573"],["1982","507197"],["1983","515511"],["1984","553950"],["1985","560264"],["1986","614930"],["1987","636789"],["1988","657527"],["1989","684631"],["1990","739760"],["1991","737804"],["1992","805755"],["1993","780446"],["1994","851653"],["1995","865985"],["1996","920589"],["1997","954585"],["1998","1016898"],["1999","1086259"],["2000","1192438"],["2001","1240019"],["2002","1347279"],["2003","1463974"],["2004","1603148"],["2005","1596829"],["2006","1638375"],["2007","1772082"],["2008","2236824"]]

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use pay in a sentence?

1. Olivia Ray:

   As aphysician, I know that myinitial investment [toward medical school] will eventually pay off, but it has totally helped that I have worked so very hard to makemoney of my own, reselling online is something a ton of college students, and even medical students, couldstart.

2. Donald Trump:

   Don't worry, I'll pay for everything.

3. Tiffany Smiley:

   These are our families and our future, and we have to make sure that we pay attention to what's happening to that. we know that we have a fentanyl and opioid crisis in Washington state. And, in fact, King County declared a public emergency on it. It's killing our kids.

4. Agbetuya Babatope Samuel:

   They pay huge amounts of money, when I get their money I laugh to the bank.

5. Juan Manuel Santos:

   Is it a reasonable price to pay? And the answer is, of course it is, by far. Because the alternative is to continue 30 more years of war, mASS GRAVE.