made payable to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "made payable to" is grammatically correct and is commonly used in written English.
You can use it when you are asking someone to make a payment to a specified recipient. For example: "Please make your payment of fifty dollars made payable to John Smith."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Checks made payable to: Harvard Business School.

Harvard University

Contributions can be made payable to The Mershon Memorial Trust.

The New York Times

Checks should be made payable to Stanford University.

Stanford University

The check should be made payable to" ColumbiaDC.

Columbia University

(1) Cash and Checks (preferably made payable to Stanford University).

Stanford University

In lieu of flowers, donations should be made payable to: Columbia University Dr. Schneller Cardiac Research.

The New York Times

For donations only, checks should be made payable to the Joyce Theater.

The New York Times - Arts

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made payable to Armstrong Chamber Concerts, Inc. P.O.

The New York Times

Checks should be made payable to Eastern Steam Spectacular, P. O. Box 2243, Clifton 07015.

The New York Times

Alternatively, we accept checks or money orders (made payable to Yale University).

Yale University

Checks and money orders must be made payable to Columbia University.

Columbia University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When providing payment instructions, clearly state the full and correct name of the payee to avoid processing delays or rejection of the payment.

Common error

Double-check the spelling of the payee's name. Even minor errors can cause issues with payment processing. Verify the exact legal name or entity name before issuing a check or initiating a transfer.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "made payable to" functions as a prepositional phrase that specifies the recipient of a payment. It's typically used in instructions related to issuing checks or money orders. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Academia

42%

News & Media

41%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Science

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "made payable to" serves as a crucial element in financial transactions, explicitly designating the recipient of a payment. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and widely accepted. Its frequent appearance in academic and news contexts, as seen in Ludwig's examples, underscores its importance in formal communications. When writing payment instructions, remember to prioritize clarity by stating the payee's full legal name to avoid any processing issues. Consider using alternatives like "payable to" for brevity or "pay to the order of" for a more formal tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

payable to

Shorter, omits "made" for brevity but maintains the core meaning.

to be paid to

Uses a passive voice to express the payment direction.

for payment to

Emphasizes the purpose of the payment.

pay to the order of

A more formal, traditional phrasing often seen on checks.

remit to

Uses a more formal verb to indicate sending payment.

kindly remit payment to

More polite phrasing including "kindly"

send payment to

Simple, direct instruction for payment.

direct payment to

Emphasizes directing the payment to a specific entity.

in favor of

Indicates the beneficiary of the payment.

credit to

Used when payment involves crediting an account.

FAQs

How do I properly use "made payable to" in a sentence?

Use "made payable to" when instructing someone to write a check or make a payment to a specific individual or entity. For example, "Please make the check "made payable to" 'Acme Corporation'".

What are some alternatives to saying "made payable to"?

Instead of "made payable to", you can use phrases like "payable to", "pay to the order of", or "remit to", depending on the formality and context.

Which is correct, "made payable to" or "make payable to"?

"Made payable to" is the correct phrasing when giving instructions. "Make payable to" is the imperative form used when giving a direct command.

Is it always necessary to use "made payable to" when providing payment instructions?

While not always strictly necessary, using "made payable to" provides clarity and reduces the risk of errors in payment processing. Other options include "payable to" or directly stating "Pay to [Payee's Name]".