expression

pay off

to result in success; to settle a debt

In Phrasal Verbs

In more detail

1. (verb) to give someone all the money you owe them

2. (verb) to be successful or produce good results as a reward for hard work or patience

Examples

1. I finally paid off my car loan after five years.
2. Years of practice paid off when she won the competition.

How to use pay off

Pay off has two distinct uses: the financial sense means to discharge a debt completely, while the figurative sense means that effort or patience has resulted in success or reward. The second sense is more common in everyday speech and often appears in motivational contexts. Both uses are neutral in tone.

Common phrases

pay off a debt
pay off a loan
pay off a mortgage
hard work pays off
patience pays off
risk pays off

Synonyms

repay · settle · clear · reimburse · yield results

Word family

payoff (noun) · paid off (adjective)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse 'pay off' with 'pay for'; pay off means to clear a debt entirely, while pay for simply means to give money in exchange for something.

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