Standard Lemma guide

unpaid

adj · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ʌnˈpeɪd/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪd
  • CMU ARPABET: AH0 N P EY1 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Not paid for.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • an unpaid bill

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: paid

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of work: done without agreed payment, usually voluntarily.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • an unpaid position

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unsalaried, unwaged

Antonyms: paid

3

adjective

Meaning 3

not paid

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • unpaid wages
  • an unpaid bill

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: paid

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

engaged in as a pastime

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an amateur painter
  • gained valuable experience in amateur theatricals
  • recreational golfers
  • reading matter that is both recreational and mentally stimulating
  • unpaid extras in the documentary

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: amateur, recreational

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

without payment

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the soup kitchen was run primarily by unpaid helpers
  • a volunteer fire department

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: volunteer(a)

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- English pay English -ed English paid English unpaid From un- + paid.

Across languages

Translations

55 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: неплатен (neplaten) — not paid for
  • Chinese Mandarin: 未付款的 (wèi fùkuǎn de) — not paid for
  • Danish: ubetalt — not paid for
  • Faroese: ógoldin — not paid for
  • Finnish: maksamaton — not paid for
  • French: impayé — not paid for
  • Georgian: გადაუხდელი (gadauxdeli) — not paid for
  • Georgian: გაუსტუმრებელი (gausṭumrebeli) — not paid for
  • Georgian: დაუფარავი (dauparavi) — not paid for
  • German: unbezahlt — not paid for
  • Greek: απλήρωτος (aplírotos) — not paid for
  • Hindi: अनख़रीदा (anxarīdā) — not paid for
  • Icelandic: vangoldinn — not paid for
  • Italian: impagato — not paid for
  • Japanese: 未払いの (mibarai no) — not paid for
  • Manx: gyn eeck — not paid for
  • Manx: neueeckit — not paid for
  • Māori: tauware — not paid for
  • Māori: taurewa — not paid for
  • Norwegian Bokmål: ubetalt — not paid for
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: ubetalt — not paid for
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: ubetala — not paid for
  • Polish: niepłatny — not paid for
  • Romanian: neplătit — not paid for
  • Romanian: neachitat — not paid for
  • Romanian: neretribuit — not paid for
  • Romanian: netimbrat — not paid for
  • Romanian: nefrancat — not paid for
  • Russian: неупла́ченный (neupláčennyj) — not paid for
  • Russian: неопла́ченный (neopláčennyj) — not paid for
  • Swedish: obetald — not paid for
  • Swedish: upplupen — not paid for
  • Bulgarian: безплатен (bezplaten) — done without agreed payment
  • Danish: ulønnet — done without agreed payment
  • Finnish: palkaton — done without agreed payment
  • French: non rétribué — done without agreed payment
  • French: non rémunéré — done without agreed payment
  • French: non payé — done without agreed payment
  • Georgian: აუნაზღაურებელი (aunazɣaurebeli) — done without agreed payment
  • Georgian: უფასო (upaso) — done without agreed payment
  • German: unbezahlt — done without agreed payment
  • German: ehrenamtlich — done without agreed payment
  • German: unentgeltlich — done without agreed payment
  • Greek: άμισθος (ámisthos) — done without agreed payment
  • Manx: gyn faill — done without agreed payment
  • Norwegian Bokmål: ulønnet — done without agreed payment
  • Norwegian Bokmål: ulønna — done without agreed payment
  • Norwegian Bokmål: ulønt — done without agreed payment
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: ulønt — done without agreed payment
  • Polish: niepłatny — done without agreed payment
  • Romanian: neremunerat — done without agreed payment
  • Romanian: neplătit — done without agreed payment
  • Romanian: fără plată — done without agreed payment
  • Spanish: no remunerado — done without agreed payment
  • Swedish: oavlönad — done without agreed payment