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.
One reason is reports that while practicing medicine, Mr. Marshall sued patients over unpaid bills and charged them annual interest up to 18%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026
Dolling said some organizations historically provided unpaid volunteers dinner, T-shirts, or pens, and others have given volunteers college credit for their work.
From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2026
Last month, the New York Times revealed that Marshall, a former OB-GYN, had sued hundreds of patients over unpaid bills, including new mothers.
From Slate ● Oct. 29, 2026
Residents at a block of flats in north-west London have been left without heating or hot water due to historic unpaid bills of £600,000, despite monthly payments being made over several years.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
That is still a bedrock value in Levittown—work—even as teens in higher-end zip codes have moved on to unpaid endeavors to further augment their credentials.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
