underpay
Americanverb (used with object)
-
underpays,
present (3rd person singular)
-
underpaid,
past participle, past
-
underpaying
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
underpaysimple
-
underpayssimple
-
have underpaidperfect
-
has underpaidperfect
-
am underpayingprogressive
-
are underpayingprogressive
-
is underpayingprogressive
-
have been underpayingperfect progressive
-
has been underpayingperfect progressive
Past
-
underpaidsimple
-
had underpaidperfect
-
was underpayingprogressive
-
were underpayingprogressive
-
had been underpayingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of underpay
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:
Do they own shares in companies that underpay their workers?
From MarketWatch ● May 15, 2026
Musk’s 11-day delay in disclosure allowed him to underpay for Twitter stock by at least $150 million.
From Barron's ● May 4, 2026
He also proposes expanding guest worker programs and “shifting accountability” from workers to corporations that underpay immigrant laborers.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026
White said he collects CDs to escape the domination of streaming services, which he believes underpay artists and have inconsistent offerings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2025
Well, for one thing, the reason he gave Putney for giving up his luxuries here: that as long as there was hardship and overwork for underpay in the world, he must share them.
From Annie Kilburn : a Novel by William Dean Howells
State Farm has said it strongly rejects allegations that it intentionally underpays or denies claims.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 2, 2026
The company's carefully-crafted transparency is part of a fightback against the perception it underpays artists - who receive between £0.002 and £0.0035 every time a song is streamed.
From BBC ● Mar. 11, 2026
Nor should you take a job that underpays just for the sake of the exposure, Lachi said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 8, 2022
“They come to attorneys when their insurance company underpays their claim and they can’t rebuild.”
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 4, 2022
The league has faced accusations that it underpays many of its athletes.
From New York Times ● Jul. 11, 2016
Los Angeles County announced Monday that it had filed a lawsuit against State Farm General after hundreds of victims of last year’s devastating wildfires complained that their claims had been delayed, denied or underpaid.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
When that didn’t happen, the council went forward with the legislation, she said, adding that the school aides are underpaid.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
What is more, the bill for his monthly payments then almost trebled to £981 a month, after it appeared he had now underpaid for the younger child still entitled to support.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
These unnecessary preventative measures aren’t just a nuisance for the consumer; they’re a hassle for the overworked, underpaid employee who spends their shift telling customers, “No, we don’t have more of that in the back.”
From Salon ● May 22, 2026
Since Francie never became friendly enough with the girls to be taken into their confidence, she had no way of knowing how grossly underpaid she was.
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
Like other fast-fashion giants including H&M and Zara, Shein has faced allegations of underpaying and overworking textile workers at its factories.
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
California officials took legal action Monday against State Farm, accusing the insurer of unlawfully delaying, denying and underpaying home-insurance claims from survivors of last year’s Los Angeles wildfires.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 4, 2026
The insurance department started a market conduct examination of State Farm General, which has been accused of delaying, underpaying and denying claims.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 3, 2026
The potential downside of a miscalculation on withholdings could be underpaying your taxes, leading to stiff tax liabilities and possibly a penalty.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 19, 2025
I believe that the day will come when we owners of mills will regard it as a disgraceful thing for our corporations to declare a dividend while notoriously underpaying our employes.”
From Little Lost Sister by Virginia Brooks
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
