pay down

verb

Definition of pay downnext
as in to pay off

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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 down Achieve, an affiliate of Freedom Debt Relief, offers debt consolidation loans and home equity lines of credit to help pay down debt. — Brian Sloan, CNBC, 26 June 2026 Reject lifestyle creep The first right move may be as simple as crafting (and sticking to) a new budget to avoid lifestyle creep, which happens when a person’s expenses rise with their salary, leaving little room to save or pay down debt. — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 26 June 2026 Lamont, a fiscal moderate, has forced big surpluses to pay down Connecticut’s legacy pension debt, tens of billions amassed over 70 years prior to 2011. — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 15 June 2026 The Mexican-American War had left Mexico in dire financial straits; to pay down its debts, the Mexican government agreed to sell about 30,000 square miles of land in Arizona south of the Gila River, and in New Mexico west of the Rio Grande, for $10 million (about $400 million today). — Geraldo L. Cadava, The Atlantic, 20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for pay down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pay down
  1. pay off
  2. satisfy
Verb
  • That offensive strategy seemed to pay off—in North America at least—when Nike’s quarterly earnings exceeded Wall Street’s expectations.
    — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 30 June 2026
  • There was no storm on January 20th that might have sunk it; the engine was new, bought on credit, and recently paid off.
    — Will Freeman, New Yorker, 30 June 2026
Definition of pay off
Verb
  • If there isn't enough money to satisfy every creditor, state probate laws determine the order in which claims are paid.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 30 June 2026
  • The Justices ruled the president cannot redefine birthright citizenship, and all children who are born in the United States, whether their parents are in the country legally or not, satisfy citizenship requirements in the 14th amendment.
    — Irene Wright, USA Today, 30 June 2026
Definition of satisfy

Browse Nearby Words

pay dirts
pay down
pay envelope
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Cite this Entry

“Pay down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pay%20down. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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