paycheck

noun

pay·​check ˈpā-ˌchek How to pronounce paycheck (audio)
Synonyms of paychecknext
1
: a check in payment of wages or salary
2
: wages, salary

Synonyms of paycheck

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of paycheck in a Sentence

I went to the office to pick up my paycheck. Your weekly paycheck will be almost $600 after taxes.
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.
Yet despite their clear burnout, most can’t afford to simply quit; not with the cost of living squeezing every paycheck, AI already closing in on entry-level roles, and one of the toughest job markets in years waiting on the other side. — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 29 July 2026 Their income reflects the health of the business, meaning there are no guarantees of monthly paychecks. — Seth Lederman, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 If your full retirement age (FRA) is 67, waiting until then to file will give you about 43% more in your monthly paycheck compared to filing at 62. — Dan Avery, CNBC, 26 July 2026 For five years running, Americans have had to live with wallet-fleecing, budget-busting, paycheck-eating inflation – including a painful stretch where the pace of price hikes hit a 40-year high. — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for paycheck

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of paycheck was in 1899

Phrases Containing paycheck

Rhymes for paycheck

See All Rhymes for paycheck

Browse Nearby Words

pay cable
paycheck
pay court to
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Paycheck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paycheck. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

paycheck

noun
pay·​check ˈpā-ˌchek How to pronounce paycheck (audio)
: a check in payment of wages or salary

More from Merriam-Webster on paycheck

Nglish: Translation of paycheck for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

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

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

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
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
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All