1 B2 idiomatic neutral
to give money to someone from an organization, fund, or machine
"The insurer paid out thousands of dollars after the storm."
both
pay out
B2 neutral both transitive/intransitive
to give money to someone, especially officially or from a fund, machine, or company
In plain English
to give out money
What does "pay out" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
to spend a large amount of money
"We had to pay out more than expected for repairs."
inseparable
3 C1 neutral
to let rope, cable, or line move out gradually
"The sailor paid out more rope as the boat drifted back."
both
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
to send payment outward
Actually means
to give out money
Usage tip
Common in insurance, gambling, compensation, and company contexts. Also used in technical rope-handling contexts, though that sense is less common for learners.
Words that pair with "pay out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
compensation insurance dividend benefits machine cash
How to conjugate "pay out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
pay out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
pays out
he/she/it
Past simple
paid out
yesterday
Past participle
paid out
have + pp
-ing form
paying out
continuous
Hear "pay out" in the wild
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Other ways to say "pay out"
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