payroll

noun

pay·​roll ˈpā-ˌrōl How to pronounce payroll (audio)
Synonyms of payrollnext
1
: a paymaster's or employer's list of those entitled to pay and of the amounts due to each
2
: the sum necessary for distribution to those on a payroll
also : the money to be distributed

Examples of payroll in a Sentence

They cut him from their payroll. He's the manager of a baseball team with a $50 million payroll. Businesses are keeping their payrolls low by embracing new technologies.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Ohio State, fresh off winning a national title with a twenty-million-dollar payroll, kept on buying separation from most of its peers. — Jesse Dougherty, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026 Labor Department revisions also looked good, adding 55,000 to June and July payrolls. — Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026 Payroll expenses and healthcare costs are helping payroll costs to grow a bit faster — up 5% in Levine Cava’s proposal. — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026 Of those gains, women accounted for 158,000 of them, roughly 98% of the net increase in payroll employment. — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for payroll

Word History

First Known Use

1740, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of payroll was in 1740

Phrases Containing payroll

Rhymes for payroll

See All Rhymes for payroll

Browse Nearby Words

pay rate
payroll
payroll deduction
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Payroll.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/payroll. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

payroll

noun
pay·​roll ˈpā-ˌrōl How to pronounce payroll (audio)
1
: a list of persons entitled to receive pay with the amounts due to each
2
: the amount of money necessary to pay those on a payroll

More from Merriam-Webster on payroll

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for payroll

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