How many people are there on the payroll?
Source: tatoeba (24513)
Payroll
/ˈpeɪˌɹəʊl/
Synonyms for "payroll" (55 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (11)
base paycompensationdismissal wageearningsescalator clauseescalator planfinancial remunerationgross incomeguaranteed annual wage
Noun(2 words)
compensation costemployee compensation
Strong matches (17)
Noun(8 words)
labor costspayroll administrationpayroll departmentpayroll functionpayroll-basedpayroll-derivedpayroll-orientedpayroll-related
Adjective(1 words)
paid staff
Related words (27)
Noun(6 words)
portal-to-portal paypurchasing powerreal wagesremunerationsalaryseverance paysliding scaletake home paytake-hometake-home paytaxable incometotal compensationwagewage controlwage freezewage reductionwage rollbackwage scalewageswages after deductions
Show 1 more word
wages after taxes
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: base pay, compensation, compensation cost, dismissal wage, earnings.
- Sentence evidence is available for payroll, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, derived_reverse, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "payroll".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "payroll"
Keep "payroll" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "payroll" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "payroll", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "payroll" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
19 entriesadministrative functionamountamount of moneybusiness processbusiness termcostdata analysis termdepartmentdisbursementexpenditureexpensefinancial metricfinancial termoperational functionprocessregister
Showing 16 of 19 words.
More specific
13 entriesaverage payroll cost per employeebenefits administrationdirect deposit setupemployee compensationlabor cost per employeepayroll accountingpayroll processingpayroll taxpayroll variance analysissalary expensetax withholdingtimekeeping integrationwage bill
Collocations
11 entriesgross payrollnet payrollpayroll costspayroll datapayroll departmentpayroll expensespayroll processingpayroll recordspayroll systempayroll taxpayroll taxes
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
3 entriesSample sentences
12 total sentences available.
I have worked for one company where the payroll was snatched on a dark winter's night.
Source: tatoeba (246896)
In Japan, the payroll tax is usually withheld from the monthly salary.
Source: tatoeba (281192)
He is still on the payroll of the company.
Source: tatoeba (292831)
Showing 4 of 12 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "payroll"?
Closest matches include base pay, compensation, compensation cost, dismissal wage, earnings.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "payroll"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.