pay down
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To partially repay (a loan or, metonymically, the thing financed by it).
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
He paid down his loan for the first five months.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “pay down” mean?
To partially repay (a loan or, metonymically, the thing financed by it).
Is “pay down” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.