Pay back meaning
Pay back means to give back money that you borrowed. It can also mean to do something bad to someone because they hurt you.
pay somebody or something back
pay back · paid · paying
Can I borrow ten pounds? I’ll pay you back tomorrow.
Pay back meanings and examples
2 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Give back money that you borrowed
pay somebody or something back
- Can I borrow ten pounds? I’ll pay you back tomorrow.
- It took them five years to pay back the loan.
- Has he paid back the money he owes you?
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2
Do something bad to someone because they hurt you
pay somebody back
- She paid him back by telling everyone his secret.
- One day I’ll pay them back for this!
- He wanted to pay back the team that dropped him.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use pay back in real conversations
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Is pay back separable?
Pay back is separable: pay back the money, pay the money back. With a person or a pronoun, put it in the middle: pay me back, pay it back.
The noun payback, one word, means revenge: This is payback for what you did. In money talk, the payback time is how long it takes to get back what you spent.
Verb tenses for pay back
| Present | I pay back · she pays back |
|---|---|
| Past | paid back |
| Present perfect | have paid back |
| -ing form | paying back |
Common mistakes with pay back
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: I’ll pay back you on Monday.
Right: I’ll pay you back on Monday.
A pronoun goes between pay and back.
Wrong: Did you pay back to him?
Right: Did you pay him back?
No to. The person comes straight after pay.
Wrong: I payed him back last week.
Right: I paid him back last week.
The past of pay is paid, not payed.
Synonyms and opposites of pay back
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- repaythe formal one-word verb: repay a loan
- pay offpay all of a debt until nothing is left
- get back atdo something bad to someone who hurt you
Opposite
- borrowtake money that you will give back later
- lendgive money that someone will pay back
Pay back quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1Thanks for lunch. I’ll ___ when I get paid.
Pay someone back means give back money you borrowed.
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2Choose the right sentence.
The pronoun goes between pay and back, with no to.
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3“I’ll pay you back for this!” says an angry boy. What does he mean?
Pay someone back for something bad means take revenge.
More phrasal verbs with pay
2 phrasal verbs start with pay. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Pay back FAQ
Questions people ask about pay back.
Pay back vs pay off: what is the difference?
Pay back means give back money you borrowed, often to a friend. Pay off means pay all of a big debt, like a loan or a car. I paid back my sister. I paid off the car.
What does payback mean?
Payback, one word, is revenge, something bad you do to a person who hurt you. It can also mean the money you get back from an investment.
Is pay back formal?
No, it is everyday English. In formal writing, people use repay: The loan must be repaid in 12 months.
Use pay back in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.