unpaid

adjective

un·​paid ˌən-ˈpād How to pronounce unpaid (audio)
Synonyms of unpaidnext
1
: not paid
an unpaid volunteer
2
: not paying a salary
an unpaid position

Examples of unpaid in a Sentence

I have a pile of unpaid bills sitting on my desk. The city is trying to collect unpaid taxes. She took three months of unpaid leave from her job. I served as an unpaid consultant on the project.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Redzepi had been dogged for years by reports of mistreating his staff and employing unpaid interns at Noma, which received three Michelin stars and was ranked first on the World's 50 Best Restaurants List five times. ABC News, 14 Mar. 2026 Redzepi had been dogged for years by reports of mistreating his staff and employing unpaid interns at Noma, which received three Michelin stars and was ranked first on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants List five times. Laurie Kellman, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026 If taxes stay unpaid long enough, the county can pursue a foreclosure lawsuit — described on the county’s foreclosure page as its last resort for collection. Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026 In such a scenario, the unpaid balance becomes a distribution that the borrower has to report as taxable income. Alex Veiga, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unpaid

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unpaid was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Unpaid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unpaid. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

unpaid

adjective
un·​paid ˌən-ˈpād How to pronounce unpaid (audio)
1
: not paid
an unpaid volunteer
2
: not paying a salary
an unpaid position

More from Merriam-Webster on unpaid

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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