pay grade
noun
: a level of compensation for work especially when understood to reflect responsibility and authority
"People listen to you regardless of your pay grade," a Goldman managing director told me. "There is a real respect for the individual voice."—John Cassidy
—often used figurativelyThe unanswerable questions ascend into the skies, far above your pay grade, whatever it may be.—Robert W. Lucky
Unfortunately … he appears to think the task of community development is below his pay grade.—Faith Bautista
No one will read this book and come away wondering if steroids really work. Oh, they work. They bump a competitor up a whole pay grade—from finishing in the middle of the pack in the final heat to breaking the tape and collecting the winner's bonus.—Michael Sokolove
Cite this Entry
“Pay grade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pay%20grade. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.
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