Payed vs Paid | Difference, Definition & Examples
Payed and paid sound exactly the same, but their spellings and meanings are different.
- Payed is the past tense of “pay”, a rare verb that is used in mainly nautical contexts. It usually refers to the act of letting out a length of chain or rope or to the act of coating a boat with waterproof material.
- Paid is the past tense of the very common verb “pay” when it means to settle a bill, or to give something as the cost for a course of action.
| Examples: Payed in a sentence | Examples: Paid in a sentence |
|---|---|
| The sailboat had to be payed to cure the leaks.
As the water level dropped in the lock, Andy gradually payed out the rope on the boat. |
Gurvinder paid the bill for everybody.
The sergeant paid with her life for her bravery. |
Uses of paid
Paid is the past tense of “pay,” an irregular verb that refers to the act of giving money in exchange for goods or services. “Pay” doesn’t take the suffix “-ed” for its past tense or past participle forms
The car had been paid for by Debbie’s parents.
Paid can also refer to the consequence of a course of action that isn’t financial.
Paid is also an adjective that indicates when a bill has been settled or an action which comes with financial compensation.
This is a paid position.
Uses of payed
Payed is the past tense and past participle form of the regular verb “pay,” which refers to the act of protecting the outside of a boat with a waterproof coating like tar.
It is also used in the phrasal verb “pay out,” which refers to the act of letting out a rope or chain. It is mainly found in the context of boats or rock climbing.
Klara payed out the rope quickly as she abseiled down the cliff.
Payed attention or paid attention
Paid attention is the past tense of the common saying “pay attention,” that means “take notice of (or focus on) something or someone.” It is always incorrect to use “payed attention.”
- Marco payed attention to his lessons.
- Marco paid attention to his lessons.
Payed off or paid off
Paid off is the past tense of “pay off,” which means “settle the full amount of a debt or bill.” It can also mean that the result of an action is rewarded with good results. “Payed off” is never correct.
- All the hard work and training payed off when Ashley won the gold medal.
- All the hard work and training paid off when Ashley won the gold medal.
Frequently asked questions about payed vs paid
- Is it I payed or paid?
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“Paid” and “payed” are commonly confused because they are pronounced the same.
Paid is the past tense or past participle of the verb “pay,” which refers to the act of exchanging money for a service or goods received (e.g., “I paid for the holiday with the overtime I had been paid during the year”).
Payed is the past tense or past participle of the verb “pay,” meaning “allow a length of rope or chain to pass through your hands in a controlled way” (e.g., “I payed out the rope slowly as my student descended the cliff”).
- Is it paid or payed money?
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“Paid” and “payed” are commonly confused because they are pronounced the same.
The past tense and past participle of the verb “pay,” meaning “exchange money for goods or services received,” is paid (e.g., “With the part exchange deal I paid money in addition to the value of my old car”).
There is a less common meaning of “pay” which is to let rope or chain through your hands in a controlled way. It is typically used in boating and climbing contexts, but it can be used in any situation where that action takes place (e.g., “The rescuers payed out the safety rope as the lifeguard entered the water”).
