pay bill

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "pay bill" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is commonly used when referring to the act of settling a financial obligation, such as a bill for goods or services received. Example: "Please remember to pay your bill by the due date to avoid any late fees."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Pay your bill by returning to the "My Account" page, and click on "Pay Bill.

WikiHow

Go to gym to pay bill.

The New York Times

Moreover, the government does not spend its pay bill efficiently.

The Economist

"We were focused on getting the pay bill down, and we did that".

The New York Times

Increasing salaries by this amount would add £500m to the pay bill.

The Guardian

Monitor said a rising pay bill, higher patient numbers and agency staff costs were key factors.

The Guardian

"That includes very transparent, but painful, reductions in the public pay bill".

The New York Times

"Whether it's what we pay Bill or our budgets, it is all focused on that goal".

The New York Times - Sports

The university asked the education ministry for extra cash this week to meet its new pay bill.

The Economist

The new Congress is expected quickly to adopt an equal pay bill with her name on it.

Independent

He appeared to be making a reference to lawmakers who promoted the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay bill.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In formal writing, usually include an article or possessive pronoun, such as 'pay the bill' or 'pay their bill', unless using it as a compound noun like 'public sector pay bill'.

Common error

Writers sometimes use the term without context, leading to ambiguity. In a business report, ensure you specify if you are referring to the act of paying a specific invoice or the total 'pay bill' (salary costs) of the organization.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "pay bill" typically functions as a verb-noun construction where 'pay' acts as the transitive verb and 'bill' as the direct object. In macroeconomic contexts provided by Ludwig, it also functions as a compound noun referring to the total sum of wages paid by an employer.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

25%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

0%

Social Media

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "pay bill" is a robust and highly versatile English expression. According to Ludwig AI and real-world data, it serves two primary functions: a verb phrase for the act of paying (e.g., 'pay your bill online') and a compound noun for salary costs (e.g., 'the government pay bill'). It is found most frequently in high-authority news sources like The New York Times and The Guardian, making it a safe choice for professional writing. When using it to describe the act of payment, adding an article like 'the' or a possessive like 'your' can improve the natural flow of your sentence. In summary, "pay bill" is an essential term for both personal finance management and high-level economic discourse.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

settle the account

More formal and suggests completing a full financial transaction

make a payment

A standard and versatile alternative for any financial obligation

clear the balance

Specifically refers to paying off the remaining amount owed

remit payment

Highly formal business terminology often used on invoices

pay the invoice

More specific than a general bill, focusing on a commercial document

foot the bill

An idiomatic expression often implying paying for someone else or a large expense

wage bill

Used when the phrase refers to a company or government's total salary expenditure

cover the costs

General term for providing funds for expenses

discharge the debt

A legalistic term for fulfilling a financial duty

process the transaction

Focuses on the technical action of payment

FAQs

Is 'pay bill' correct in a sentence?

Yes, "pay bill" is grammatically correct and widely used. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is frequently used to describe settling financial obligations. You might also use "pay the bill" for better flow in casual conversation.

What is the difference between 'pay bill' and 'wage bill'?

While "pay bill" can refer to personal utilities, in a professional or economic context, it often refers to the total cost of salaries for a workforce, similar to a "wage bill".

Can I use 'pay bill' in formal business emails?

It is acceptable, but using "remit payment" or "settle the invoice" is often preferred for a more professional tone.

How do I use 'pay bill' to talk about government spending?

In macroeconomic contexts, you often see the phrase used as a noun, such as 'reducing the public sector "pay bill"' to refer to cutting total salary expenditures.