grubstake

verb

Definition of grubstakenext
as in to pay

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of grubstake Out of cash, Steen reluctantly abandoned grubstaking to work as a carpenter in Tucson, Arizona, for a year, but the uranium called to him. — Aaron Robinson, Car and Driver, 27 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grubstake
  1. pay
  2. defray
  3. pay off
  4. liquidate
  5. fund
  6. stake
  7. recompense
  8. underwrite
Verb
  • What began as a few purists chasing a vibe became an ingredient an entire industry pays extra for.
    — Matt Alt, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The data showed that principals often earn from $158,000 to $186,000 per year, while assistant principals were generally paid $150,000 to $179,000.
    — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of pay
Verb
  • Zhang sjust launched a GoFundMe to help defray the unforeseen expenses.
    — Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The cash infusion should help Notre Dame defray the ever-increasing costs of running a competitive athletic department, including a football roster budget that’s near the top of the market.
    — Pete Sampson, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of defray
Verb
  • Day's gamble paid off, as Sayin found a wide-open Bo Jackson in the flat for a touchdown, putting Ohio State up 10-7.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Meta and Microsoft prove why patience pays off Not every tech stock got slammed last week.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of pay off
Verb
  • As out-of-business Spirit Airlines liquidates, the planes and the landing rights aren’t the only leftovers for sale.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Fast forward to 1985 when Harry and his brother both died and the family needed help liquidating the business.
    — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of liquidate
Verb
  • Hollywood executives at a panel featuring UTA, Gold House, Lionsgate and HYBE saw an opening for Asian talent and stories rooted in specific cultures, while conceding that getting projects funded is still a struggle.
    — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Avoid emotional borrowing to fund a lifestyle, impress others, or pay for short-term experiences, said Klontz.
    — Stephanie Dhue, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of fund
Verb
  • At the fish camp all the boats were pulled out and staked down with their bottoms up.
    — Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Trump has staked his political capital on the AI industry’s success, saying its unbridled development is key to winning the AI race against China.
    — Garance Burke, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of stake
Verb
  • Rioters have typically been ordered to pay $500 if found guilty of a misdemeanor or $2,000 if convicted of a felony to the Architect of the Capitol to recompense for the damage.
    — Ella Lee, The Hill, 13 Apr. 2025
  • Our society doesn’t send teenagers to fight each other to the death and watch it on live TV as a form of entertainment and recompense for a long-ago rebellion.
    — Lizz Schumer, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of recompense
Verb
  • Next, Wealthfront will underwrite the loan and likely complete an appraisal and title search.
    — Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Instead, the authors argue public money could have more leverage by underwriting risks that commercial markets currently will not.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of underwrite

Browse Nearby Words

grubs (about)
grubstake
grubstaked
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Grubstake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grubstake. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All