1 B1 idiomatic neutral
to reduce a debt or balance by paying part of it
"She is using her bonus to pay down her student loan."
separable
pay down
B1 neutral separable transitive
to reduce the amount of debt by making payments
In plain English
to make a debt smaller by paying some of it
What does "pay down" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
to push the amount owed downward by paying
Actually means
to make a debt smaller by paying some of it
Usage tip
Common with loans, mortgages, credit cards, and balances. Often used in financial advice.
Words that pair with "pay down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
debt loan mortgage balance credit card principal
How to conjugate "pay down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
pay down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
pays down
he/she/it
Past simple
paid down
yesterday
Past participle
paid down
have + pp
-ing form
paying down
continuous
Hear "pay down" in the wild
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Other ways to say "pay down"
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