unpaid

adjective

un·​paid ˌən-ˈpād 

1

: not paid

an unpaid volunteer

2

: not paying a salary

an unpaid position

Synonyms of unpaid

• outstanding
• owed
• payable

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

Those promises influenced McCollough to quit her legal externship in mid-2024 and become Watts’ unpaid assistant, according to Colleen and three friends. — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026

After the startling cancellation, vendors, artists and crew were out thousands of dollars in unpaid advances, after spending on rehearsing and traveling to the festival. — Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Front Office Sports reported that LIV vendors and contractors have gone unpaid for months. — Brody Miller, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026

This isn’t necessarily the result of major errors, but instead from smaller revenue losses such as unsubmitted or denied claims, unpaid patient balances and coding errors. — Nia Bowers, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for unpaid

• afraid
• allayed
• arcade
• arrayed
• assayed
• barmaid
• betrayed
• blockade
• bridesmaid
• brigade
• brocade
• buffeted

Kids Definition

unpaid

adjective

un·​paid ˌən-ˈpād 

1

: not paid

an unpaid volunteer

2

: not paying a salary

an unpaid position