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

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.
Without automation, accounting teams can drown in reconciliations, and unpaid services slip through the cracks. Hans Kristian Aas, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025 This means that interest is charged each month on whatever amount is left unpaid. Mary Luquette, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025 After the city flooded, no one knew when schools would reopen, and the district placed its 7,500 employees, including about 4,300 teachers, on unpaid leave. Aubri Juhasz, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025 Lawsuits filed for overall consumer debt, including debt from unpaid medical bills, auto loans and credit cards, are also increasing — not just in Minnesota, but across the country. Molly Castle Work, Twin Cities, 8 Sep. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unpaid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unpaid. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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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