pay dearly

idiom

: to suffer a lot as a result of something one has done
She paid dearly for her mistakes.

Examples of pay dearly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The first, as exemplified by the retreat from Kherson, the mobilization of reservists, and the construction of new barriers, is to create a dense defense and make the Ukrainians pay dearly for every effort to recover territory. Barry R. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 4 Jan. 2023 On Friday afternoon, a jury of nine New Yorkers sided with her, saying that the former President had defamed her, and ordering him to pay dearly: $83.3 million in damages. Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2024 Fox News should pay dearly for Carlson’s destructive stint at the network. Erik Wemple, Washington Post, 6 July 2023 Plus, some kids respond badly to disrupted routines and make their already tired parents pay dearly for it. Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 14 May 2023 See all Example Sentences for pay dearly 

Dictionary Entries Near pay dearly

Cite this Entry

“Pay dearly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pay%20dearly. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!