Phrase guide

beyond one's pay grade

prep_phrase · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

prep_phrase

Meaning 1

Beyond one's level of authority.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • 1971, Testimony before U.S. Congress. Senate. Committee on Armed Services, Sir, I think that is a policy decision only the President can make. That is beyond my pay grade.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: above one's pay grade

Antonyms: none provided

2

prep_phrase

Meaning 2

Beyond one's capability.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Possibly from the correspondence of the pay grade to the level of authority in the U.S. civil service and in the U.S. armed forces.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Danish: over min lønramme — beyond the speaker's authority
  • Italian: oltre le proprie competenze — beyond the speaker's authority