unpaid
She worked for the company for six months but was still unpaid.
She received no salary despite working for half a year.
not receiving payment for work or services rendered
The intern was promised a salary but remained unpaid for three months.
The intern worked without receiving any money for three months.
Many volunteers contribute their time unpaid to support local charities.
Many people work without pay to help local charities.
Commonly used in contexts involving labor, employment, or volunteer work.
owed as payment but not yet settled
The company has $50,000 in unpaid invoices from last quarter.
The company is owed $50,000 for services provided but not yet paid.
Used in accounting and financial reporting to describe outstanding debts.
Collocations
Antonyms
Pro Tip
Common Mistake: Confusing 'unpaid' with 'underpaid'
'Unpaid' means no payment was received at all, while 'underpaid' means payment was received but it was insufficient or below market rate. Example: 'She was unpaid for her work' vs. 'She was underpaid for her work'.
Gold Rule
When to Use 'Unpaid'
Use 'unpaid' when referring to labor, services, or invoices that have not received any financial compensation. It does not imply partial payment or dissatisfaction with the amount.
Word Origin
From Middle English 'unpaied', from 'un-' (not) + 'paied' (past participle of 'pay'). The prefix 'un-' negates the past participle 'paid', indicating the absence of payment.
Usage Notes
Used as an adjective before nouns (e.g., 'unpaid work') or after linking verbs (e.g., 'The invoice is unpaid'). Avoid using 'unpaid' to describe people who have not received payment for their labor; instead, use 'underpaid' or specify the context (e.g., 'workers who are owed wages').