peɪ ɒf
neutral
beginner
- Base verb:
- pay
- Particle:
- off
- Separable:
- Yes
What does "pay off" mean?
- To finish paying money that is owed
- To result in success; to be worthwhile
- To bribe someone
Examples
- I finally paid off my student loans.
- All that hard work paid off when she got the promotion.
- He tried to pay off the police officer.
- The company paid off dozens of workers.
- Years of practice are starting to pay off.
How to use it
'Payoff' (noun) refers to the benefit or result of an action, or a bribe. 'It really paid off' is common for success.
Word order
For debts: separable ('pay the loan off'). For success: intransitive ('It paid off').
Similar expressions
repay
clear
succeed
bribe
settle
Opposites
borrow
fail
owe
Related phrasal verbs
- pay back
To return money that you owe someone
- pay up
To pay money that is owed, often reluctantly
- turn off
To stop a device or appliance by pressing a switch or button
- get off
To leave a bus, train, plane, or other public transport
- go off
To explode or fire (bomb, gun, fireworks)
- give off
To emit or produce something (smell, heat, light, radiation)
Use it in a practice answer
Try "pay off" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.