back pay

back pay — noun

1. wages from a past pay period that an employer still must give a worker

1.nounC1
Definition

wages from a past pay period that an employer still must give a worker

Example

The nurses received back pay after the hospital corrected the payroll error.

received back pay

The company still owes back pay to drivers who worked extra weekend shifts.

owes back pay to + workers

Common collocations
  • receive back pay
  • owe back pay
  • claim back pay
  • back pay for missed wages
  • months of back pay
Synonyms
  • arrears

    more formal; money that should already have been paid

  • unpaid wages

    clearer in everyday speech and legal contexts

  • retroactive pay

    pay added because a raise or correction applies to an earlier period

Grammar Patterns

receive back pay

owe someone back pay

back pay for + period/work

Usage Note

Used mainly in employment, payroll, union, or legal contexts. It refers to money owed from the past, not a normal current paycheck.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect: 'I got back pay for next month.' Correct: 'I got back pay for last month.' Back pay is money owed from an earlier period.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Back pay' is money owed to a worker from an earlier pay period. 'Arrears' is more formal and can refer to many kinds of overdue money. 'Unpaid wages' is plainer and often legal. 'Retroactive pay' often means extra pay added because a raise or rule change applies to past work.

back pay ↗arrearsunpaid wagesretroactive pay

Common collocations

Nouns

Verbs

Phrases

  • receive back pay
  • be owed back pay
  • claim back pay
  • back pay for missed wages