payout

American  

[pay-aut] / ˈpeɪˌaʊt /

noun

• payouts
  plural

1. an act or instance of paying, expending, or disbursing.

2. money paid, expended, or disbursed, as a dividend or winning.

   He went to the betting window to collect his payout.

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verb phrase

1. 1. to distribute (money, wages, etc.); disburse.

   2. to get revenge upon for an injury; requite.

   3. to let out (a rope) by slackening.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• payouts
  plural

Etymology

Origin of payout

First recorded in 1900–05; noun use of verb phrase pay out

Explanation

When money is handed over it's a payout. Not only does your favorite professional basketball player have a huge salary, he also gets a $50,000 payout if his team makes the quarterfinals! Payout usually refers to money paid as a prize, an investment dividend, or an insurance settlement. You'll probably get a large insurance payout after a tree falls on your house, but you'll have to wait a while. And don't expect any kind of payout from a lottery ticket — the odds of winning a jackpot are extremely low! Payout originally referred to oil wells: the cost of drilling was only worthwhile if the eventual payout would be high.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

payout payouts

But if we take into account the increase over the past two months in annuity payout rates, the news is neutral.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026

That additional protection comes at the cost of a lower initial payout.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026

But regardless of income, job status or location, few of the people in Hazle Township interviewed by The Wall Street Journal indicated that they are eager to welcome the data center for the payout.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026

For many in Hazle Township, which has a median household income of about $60,000, a payout of $10,000 would be a significant sum.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026

The expected payout on a slot machine is determined in like manner.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos

With consumer debt cheap and federal regulators sidelined, debt collection giants are increasingly turning to litigation to secure payouts.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

The semiannual interest payouts would stay the same for 20 years, while their expenses would vary.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026

The tests are still ahead — whether Sony and Universal win or settle, and what the first payouts actually look like.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026

These funds often pocket profits when the deals close from small technical price changes and sometimes fight for higher payouts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026

Actually, you can win only by taking cards from the blue decks, which offer a nice steady diet of $50 payouts and modest penalties.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell