unpaid
Britishadjective
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(of a bill, debt, etc) not yet paid
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working without pay
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having wages outstanding
Explanation
If a job is unpaid, that means you do it without receiving any money in return. Your unpaid internship at the town newspaper will give you lots of experience, but no income. An unpaid worker hasn't received their paycheck yet, and an unpaid bill means you haven't sent the money you owe to the electric company or dog walker. This adjective is also useful for describing volunteer work, like an unpaid position at the local animal shelter. Unpaid was first coined in the 14th century, from un-, "not," and pay, which has a Latin root meaning "satisfy a creditor," or literally "make peace."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Perez has been placed on unpaid leave and couldn’t be reached for comment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
“The state has received dozens of reports of servicers holding funds in excess of the unpaid principal balance in clear violation of federal guidelines.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump was aware of the teleprompter operator and that staffer was now on unpaid leave, before adding Perez would no longer work at the White House.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026
The list of expenses goes on: credit-card debts, overdraft fees, interest on loans, funeral costs, unpaid taxes, administration fees for the estate.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
A bill unpaid past the fifteenth of the month was a debt.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
