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Glite Dictionary
to fork out

to fork out

3 7.5
To pay money when you do not want to
  • phrasal verb
  • /fɔrk aʊt/
  • Informal
translation icon : sacar
  • She had to fork out a lot for unexpected car repairs.
  • fork out the cash
  • fork out big bucks
  • forked out millions

And our kids and our grandkids that we don't rein this in, we'll have to fork out even more.

Examples

  • If you want to avoid kids at a restaurant, then fork out the money and go somewhere nicer.

    Blog text (4)

  • But there is a huge burden on them to fork out a disproportionate amount of their limited income for day-to-day necessities on sales taxes.

    Blog text (11)

  • People can learn to design their own sites and not have to fork out a dime.

    Blog text (27)

  • The government still forks out the balance to feed your child.

    Blog text (26)

  • I have to fork out another 500 even with the discount!

    Blog text (6)

  • In the meantime, he'll have to fork out $400 a night to continue staying at a nearby hotel.

    Blog text (15)

  • So plan on forking out 10 or 20K for software over the years just to stay in the game.

    Blog text (25)

  • I don't think your dad's gonna fork out for that, do you?

    Peter Pan's Neverland Nightmare (2025)

  • How much do you think advertisers will be willing to fork out for commercials that will air when about 11 people are watching?

    Blog text (27)

  • But usually it's more of a trusted word-of-mouth network that entices me to fork out some cash.

    Blog text (9)

Synonyms

to pay
vsto fork out
∞ 1.0

To give money for something you buy or owe

is informal and specifically shows unwillingness or reluctance when paying
to hand over
vsto fork out
296 2.8

Give something to someone because you have to

is specifically about paying money reluctantly rather than giving possessions
to pay up
vsto fork out
  • Informal
35 3.6

Give someone the money you owe them, often after they ask you

is broader, covering any reluctant payment not only settling debts
to shell out
vsto fork out
  • Informal
30 7.1

Pay a large amount of money even when you do not want to

is used for reluctant payment not limited to large or costly sums
to cough up
vsto fork out
  • Informal
23 6.5

To pay money unwillingly after being pressured

does not require pressure and can be simply reluctant payment
to pony up
vsto fork out
  • Informal
21 8.2

Pay money, often reluctantly, when others expect it

can be used more generally for reluctant payment not tied to expectation
to fork over
vsto fork out
  • Informal
15 6.1

To give money to someone after they ask or force you

is used for reluctant payment without needing explicit asking or pressure
to fork up
vsto fork out
  • Informal
1 8.1

To pay money unwillingly

is specific to paying money rather than handing over other things
to spit up
vsto fork out
  • Informal
7.7

To give something, often money, because others make you do it

can be used for reluctant payment without direct pressure

Antonyms

to receive
∞ 1.0

To get something that someone gives you

How Reluctant

to cough up
  • Informal
23 6.5
to fork out
  • Informal
3 7.5
to hand over
296 2.8
to pay
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

fork out infinitive
forked out past
forked out past participle
forking out present participle
forks out third person singular

Morphology

fork + out

Although the particle 'out' signals transfer or giving away, the noun 'fork' does not literally mean 'pay' or 'hand over', so the paid/unwilling sense is not fully derivable from the constituents. The expression is informal and somewhat idiomatic — learners might guess it involves handing something over but would not reliably infer the specific meaning 'to pay (reluctantly)' without prior exposure.

Etymology

The phrasal verb fork out may come from the image of using a fork to push something out, like coins forced from your hand. So fork out means 'to pay' money you do not want to give.