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

You’re not being pandered to, however; the payoff is a lovely echo.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

PIK collected as part of a loan payoff seems a less reliable source of dividend cash than regularly paid cash interest, says Nick Nemeth, a consultant and independent analyst who has studied private credit.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

The two asset managers and Milken also highlighted how the AI investments would be played out over decades, providing a big payoff for investors willing to wait for compounded returns.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

The biggest payoff could be in the cloud.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

This highlights yet another payoff of the passive voice: it can unburden memory by shortening the interval between a filler and a gap.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

Related Words

• consequence
• outcome
• payment
• reward
• settlement