paid

American  

[payd] / peɪd /

verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of pay.

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paid British  

/ peɪd /

verb

1. the past tense and past participle of pay 1

2. to end or destroy

   breaking his leg put paid to his hopes of running in the Olympics

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paid Idioms  

1. see under pay.

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Other Word Forms

• nonpaid
  adjective
• self-paid
  adjective
• unpaid
  adjective
• well-paid
  adjective

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Explanation

Something that's paid is done in exchange for money, or happens while you're receiving pay. For example, your job might offer paid vacation, when you get your usual pay but don't have to work. Paid work is anything you do for pay, whether it's babysitting your cousin for ten dollars, or a job at a law firm that provides a weekly paycheck. When people are described as paid, it clarifies the fact that they're working for money — like a paid FBI informant, or a paid companion for an elderly man. Paid comes from the verb pay, which meant "pacify or please" long before it came to mean "give what is due."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

paid

Tributes have been paid to Michael Locke, star of MTV stunt and prank series Dirty Sanchez, who has died aged 47.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

Humana shares rose 5.3% to $433.74 after the health insurer raised its projection for 2026 earnings, having paid out slightly less of its premium revenue on medical expenses in the latest quarter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

At the same time, Micron has paid down its balance sheet, he said, which puts it in a good position, even if the data-center trade slows down.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026

County has paid out tens of millions of dollars in legal settlements stemming from cases involving deputies accused of belonging to secret societies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

As soon as we get paid, Emma and I run out the door.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

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Related Words

• compensated
• salaried

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