dues-paying

American  

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

adjective

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

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

---

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

See Examples For:

dues-paying

Huang is a community organizer, minister and dues-paying member of the Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 7, 2026

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

He told Salon that he and his followers found the club as an organization of just 30 to 40 dues-paying members and left it a club of around 1,800.

From Salon ● Jul. 21, 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

She energized the organization and helped to increase the membership from twenty-seven thousand to an astonishing two hundred thousand dues-paying members by 1890.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling