payoff

American  

[pey-awf, -of] / ˈpeɪˌɔf, -ˌɒf /

noun

1. the payment of a salary, debt, wager, etc.

2. the time at which such payment is made.

3. the consequence, outcome, or final sequence in a series of events, actions, or circumstances.

   The payoff was when they fired him.

   Synonyms:

   finale, upshot, climax

4. Informal. the climax of something, especially a story or joke.

5. a settlement or reckoning, as in retribution or reward.

6. Informal. a bribe.

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adjective

1. yielding results, especially rewarding or decisive results.

   The payoff play was the long pass into the end zone.

verb phrase

1. 1. to pay (someone) everything that is due that person, especially to do so and discharge from one's employ.

   2. to pay (a debt) in full.

   3. Informal. to bribe.

   4. to retaliate upon or punish; pay back.

   5. to result in success or failure.

      The risk paid off handsomely.

   6. Nautical. to fall off to leeward.

Etymology

Origin of payoff

First recorded in 1910–15; noun, adjective use of verb phrase pay off

Example Sentences

This is my favorite use for pickle juice, partly because the payoff feels disproportionate to the effort.

From Salon • May 28, 2026

How the ingredients interact can affect the final nutritional payoff.

From Science Daily • May 24, 2026

The technology is advancing so fast, moreover, that there may be a payoff both in life span and “health span,” your time actually living without serious disease.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

For New York, a season’s worth of setbacks—including those heartbreaking losses early in the playoffs—was all worth it for the payoff: basketball perfection when the games matter most.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

Her expression was carefully bland, and I understood now that the piano was a payoff.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Related Words

• consequence
• outcome
• payment
• reward
• settlement