dues-paying

American

[dooz-pay-ing, dyooz-] / ˈduzˌpeɪ ɪŋ, ˈdjuz- /

adjective

gaining experience, especially by hard and often unpleasant or uncongenial work.

He spent his dues-paying years as a cocktail pianist.

noun

the act or process of gaining experience, especially slowly and laboriously.

She had many years of dues-paying before her abilities were recognized.

Etymology

Origin of dues-paying

First recorded in 1860–70

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.

See Examples For:

dues-paying

Through it all they are expected to remain dues-paying union members, directly funding the campaign.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

The group claimed it had over 40,000 dues-paying members at the height of its membership during Barack Obama’s presidency.

From Salon ● Dec. 30, 2025

The mass tort lawsuit, filed in San Bernardino County Superior Court, includes 56 plaintiffs comprising tenants, dues-paying members and guests of the 136-acre property just outside the city of Colton.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2025

The group does not release its list of dues-paying members, nor does it publicize information about where or how it conducts trainings.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 21, 2023

He wasn't even a member of the German American Bund, a Hitler-endorsed organization comprising an estimated 25,000 dues-paying Germans living in America.

From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023