Phrase guide

pay the bills

verb · 1 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

verb

Meaning 1

Of a job or profession, to provide enough income to sustain one's lifestyle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • Being a dentist isn't so glamorous, but it pays the bills.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pay the rent

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 維持生活 /维持生活 (wéichí shēnghuó) — provide enough income
  • Chinese Mandarin: 當飯吃 /当饭吃 (dāng fàn chī) — provide enough income
  • Dutch: rekeningen betalen — provide enough income
  • Finnish: tuoda voita leivän päälle — provide enough income
  • French: payer les factures — provide enough income
  • German: die Rechnungen bezahlen — provide enough income
  • Hungarian: meg lehet élni belőle — provide enough income
  • Hungarian: ki lehet jönni belőle — provide enough income
  • Japanese: 勘定を支払う (kanjō o shiharau) — provide enough income
  • Polish: płacić rachunki — provide enough income
  • Polish: zapłacić rachunki — provide enough income
  • Portuguese: pagar as contas — provide enough income
  • Russian: плати́ть по счета́м (platítʹ po sčetám) — provide enough income
  • Spanish: pagar las cuentas — provide enough income