Payoff vs. Pay-off vs. Pay Off
“Payoff” is a noun for a result, reward, or payment; Cambridge Business English also records hyphenated “pay-off.” “Pay off” is the two-word phrasal verb for succeeding, repaying a debt, or making a payment to someone.
Use “pay off” for the verb. Use “payoff” for the noun; “pay-off” is also documented in business English.
Key details
Choose the right form
| If you mean / need | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| a noun naming a result, reward, or payment | payoff / pay-off | These are noun spellings; the closed form is widely used and the hyphenated form is also documented. |
| the action of succeeding or repaying | pay off | The phrasal verb is two words. |
Further guidance
Core difference
“Payoff” names the result or payment; “pay off” describes the action.
Fast Test
If you can inflect it as “paid off” or “paying off,” use the two-word verb.
Variant Boundary
Cambridge documents “pay-off” in Business English as a noun variant, so a house style may prefer one noun spelling without changing the verb boundary.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- PAYOFF — English meaning (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Closed noun “payoff” and documented business hyphenated “pay-off” variant
- PAY OFF — English meaning (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Two-word phrasal verb “pay off” meanings