dues-paying

American  

[dooz-pey-ing, dyooz-] / ˈduzˌpeɪ ɪŋ, ˈdyuz- /

adjective

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

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

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noun

1. 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

Epstein wasn’t a dues-paying member of the club, but Trump told staff to treat him like one, the employees said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 31, 2025

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

Some people wait up to two years to become dues-paying members.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 25, 2023

Greene told jurors that he wasn’t a dues-paying member of the Oath Keepers but worked essentially as a contractor, handling security operations.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 9, 2022

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