unpaid
Britishadjective
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(of a bill, debt, etc) not yet paid
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working without pay
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having wages outstanding
Explanation
If a job is unpaid, that means you do it without receiving any money in return. Your unpaid internship at the town newspaper will give you lots of experience, but no income. An unpaid worker hasn't received their paycheck yet, and an unpaid bill means you haven't sent the money you owe to the electric company or dog walker. This adjective is also useful for describing volunteer work, like an unpaid position at the local animal shelter. Unpaid was first coined in the 14th century, from un-, "not," and pay, which has a Latin root meaning "satisfy a creditor," or literally "make peace."
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.
Those benefits should be weighed alongside the value of the unpaid care she is providing and the career opportunities she says she has sacrificed.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026
She was given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, 250 hours of unpaid work and 15 days of rehabilitation activity.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
She had to take on a three-month unpaid internship in a classroom and several thousand dollars in fees for her certification.
From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2026
“Being a pet is forced, unpaid emotional labor.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026
On the third day, the owner informed me that Denna had left in the middle of the night, taking all her things and leaving her bill unpaid.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
