unpaid

unpaid — adjective

1. owed to someone but not yet given to them — describing money such as a debt, bil

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

owed to someone but not yet given to them — describing money such as a debt, bill, tax, or rent that a person or organisation should have paid but has not.

Example

The landlord sent Christopher a reminder about the unpaid rent on the apartment.

collocation: unpaid rent

Élise finally paid off all her unpaid credit card bills from last year.

collocation: unpaid credit card bills

Common collocations
  • unpaid debt
  • unpaid bill
  • unpaid tax
  • unpaid rent
  • unpaid fee
  • unpaid fine
  • unpaid invoice
  • unpaid balance
Synonyms
  • outstanding

    more neutral — suggests the payment is expected but may still be within its allowed time frame; commonly used on invoices

  • overdue

    adds the idea that the payment should have been made by a specific date that has now passed

  • delinquent

    stronger and more formal, used mainly in US finance and law for seriously late payments that risk penalties

Antonyms
  • paid

    the direct opposite — money that has been handed over or settled

  • settled

    emphasises that the debt has been fully resolved, not just paid

Grammar Patterns

unpaid + noun (debt / bill / tax / rent)

be / go / remain + unpaid

Usage Note

Frequently paired with nouns for money owed, such as debt, bill, tax, rent, fee, or fine. Also common in the pattern 'go unpaid' or 'remain unpaid' — for example: 'Half the balance went unpaid.'

Common Mistakes

The bill is unpaid means no one needs to pay it.
The bill is unpaid means it has not been paid yet, so you still need to pay it.
Unpaid does not mean 'free of charge' or 'costing nothing.'
She has three unpaid weeks off from work.
She has three weeks of unpaid leave from work.
Unpaid before a time period is unnatural; use 'unpaid leave' or 'unpaid time off' instead.

2. done or performed without receiving any money in return — describing work, a job

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

done or performed without receiving any money in return — describing work, a job, a period of time off, or a role that a person takes on but is not paid for.

Example

Heloísa gained valuable experience through an unpaid internship at a local hospital.

collocation: unpaid internship

The volunteer coordinator manages a team of unpaid staff who work on weekends.

collocation: unpaid staff

Common collocations
  • unpaid work
  • unpaid internship
  • unpaid leave
  • unpaid staff
  • unpaid labour
  • unpaid role
  • unpaid position
  • unpaid overtime
Synonyms
  • voluntary

    focuses on the person's free choice to do the work, not on the lack of payment; may overlap but not identical

  • honorary

    used for a title or position given as a mark of respect, usually carrying no salary

  • pro bono

    applies specifically to professional services (legal, medical) provided free of charge to those in need

Antonyms
  • paid

    the direct opposite — work for which you receive money

  • salaried

    specifically describes a job that pays a regular salary rather than hourly wages

Grammar Patterns

unpaid + noun (work / internship / leave / staff)

Usage Note

Distinguish from 'voluntary', which emphasises choice and willingness rather than the absence of payment. Unpaid work may be required (e.g. an unpaid internship as part of a degree) or chosen freely — the word only signals that no money changes hands.

Common Mistakes

She does unpaid work at the animal shelter means she gets very little money.
She does unpaid work at the animal shelter means she works there without receiving any money.
Unpaid means no payment at all, not a small amount.
He is an unpaid worker at the charity shop' (when meaning he volunteers).
He is an unpaid worker at the charity shop' is fine, but 'He volunteers at the charity shop' is more natural
unpaid focuses on the lack of payment, while volunteer focuses on the choice to help.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe money that has not been paid, but they differ in urgency and formality. Unpaid is the most neutral and general — it simply states a fact: a bill has not been paid. Outstanding suggests the payment is expected but still within a normal time frame; businesses commonly say 'outstanding invoice' for bills awaiting processing. Overdue adds a clear time element: the payment was due by a certain date and that date has passed. Delinquent is the strongest term, used mainly in US finance and law for payments that are seriously late — often 30, 60, or 90 days past due — and may trigger penalties or credit damage. For example, a credit card balance that is two days late is unpaid (neutral) or possibly overdue; after 90 days it is likely reported as delinquent.

unpaid ↗outstanding ↗overdue ↗delinquent

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • still unpaid
  • currently unpaid
  • long unpaid

Phrases

  • go unpaid
  • remain unpaid
  • leave unpaid

Etymology

Old English (un-)Old French (paier)Latin (pacare)English (pay)

The word 'unpaid' joins the Old English prefix 'un-' (meaning 'not') with 'paid', the past participle of the verb 'pay'. The verb 'pay' entered English through Old French 'paier', which came from Latin 'pacare' — originally meaning 'to pacify' or 'to make peace', and later shifting to mean 'to settle a debt by making a payment'. So the historical idea behind 'paying' someone was that you were making peace with them by settling what you owed.