underpay
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
underpaysimple
-
underpayssimple
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have underpaidperfect
-
has underpaidperfect
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am underpayingprogressive
-
are underpayingprogressive
-
is underpayingprogressive
-
have been underpayingperfect progressive
-
has been underpayingperfect progressive
Past
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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
"Yes, and you tried to underpay me, too."
From The Militants Stories of Some Parsons, Soldiers, and Other Fighters in the World by Andrews, Mary Raymond Shipman
State Farm has said it strongly rejects allegations that it intentionally underpays or denies claims.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 2, 2026
“They come to attorneys when their insurance company underpays their claim and they can’t rebuild.”
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 4, 2022
Spotify also has been criticized for its payment model, which many say underpays musicians.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 21, 2022
Increasingly, even those relatively unscathed by the pandemic are voicing anticapitalist sentiment, critiquing an economy that underpays or ignores domestic labor.
From New York Times ● Feb. 17, 2021
Walt Disney Co. is being sued over claims it underpays female employees.
From BBC ● Apr. 3, 2019
She stood down in September 2025 after admitting she underpaid stamp duty on her £800,000 flat in Hove.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
It also included headlines from articles regarding the Naupan artisans who were allegedly underpaid by Adidas and social-impact brand Someone Somewhere, during its work on the latest embroidered Mexican soccer kit.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 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
Early on Thursday, Rayner said she had been cleared by U.K. authorities after she underpaid tax on a home purchase, removing a key hurdle for her to run for prime minister.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
I will, as is the custom each year, call upon your hardworking, dedicated and grossly underpaid teachers to announce the year-end examination results and class standings.”
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
That’s a stark contrast with Shein, which has been accused of overworking and underpaying its workers and of being a massive industry polluter.
From MarketWatch ● May 19, 2026
She said employers get away with underpaying workers and big landlords are allowed to take advantage of renters.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2026
Mr. Lara also accuses State Farm of underpaying claims, in particular for smoke damage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
In 2020, it admitted to underpaying its Australian workers more than $4m over nearly a decade.
From BBC ● Dec. 22, 2025
Nobody is altogether bad; the scoundrel who has grown rich by underpaying workmen in his factory will sometimes endow an asylum for indigent seamen.
From A Cynic Looks at Life by Haldeman-Julius, E. (Emanuel)
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.
