unpaid

British  

/ ʌnˈpeɪd /

adjective

1. (of a bill, debt, etc) not yet paid

2. working without pay

3. having wages outstanding

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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

"Unpaid monies represent lost economic development and investment opportunities for First Nations communities."

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

Unpaid interest from borrowers’ balances will be waived if their monthly minimum payments aren’t high enough to cover it.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

Unpaid family and friends perform 75% to 80% of all hours of eldercare work in the U.S., according to research from the Urban Institute.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

Unpaid and low-paid internships are "unfair" to working class graduates, students say, as a new study suggests that these opportunities increasingly favour those from a middle class background.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2025

And both invited, but you would not swerve, All meaner prizes waiving that you might In civic duty spend your heat and light, Unpaid, untrammelled, with a sweet disdain Refusing posts men grovel to attain.

From The Complete Poetical Works of James Russell Lowell by Lowell, James Russell

Related Words

• delinquent
• outstanding
• overdue