non-payment

IPA/ˌnɒn ˈpeɪmənt/
KK[nɑnpˈemənt]IPA/ˌnɑːn ˈpeɪmənt/

non-payment — noun

1. the situation in which a person or business leaves money unpaid even though it i

1.nounC1
Definition

the situation in which a person or business leaves money unpaid even though it is already due, such as rent, tax, a bill, or another debt

Example

The gym canceled Rafael's membership after three months of non-payment.

pattern: cancel service after non-payment

The court sent Gabriel a notice over his non-payment of rent.

collocation: non-payment of rent

Common collocations
  • non-payment of rent
  • non-payment of tax
  • non-payment of fees
  • non-payment of wages
  • repeated non-payment
  • termination for non-payment
Synonyms
  • default

    more formal and often tied to loans, contracts, or other legal obligations

  • arrears

    focuses on overdue amounts that have built up over time rather than a single missed payment

  • delinquency

    used especially in finance for seriously late accounts or scheduled payments

Antonyms
  • payment

    the act of giving the money that is due

  • settlement

    emphasizes that the debt or bill has been fully cleared

Grammar Patterns

non-payment of + rent / tax / fees / debt

because of / due to + non-payment

Usage Note

Usually seen in bills, contracts, school notices, and legal letters rather than casual conversation. It is often followed by 'of' plus the money owed, especially rent, tax, fees, wages, or debt.

Common Mistakes

There was non-payment because he paid half the fee.
There was partial payment because he paid half the fee.
Non-payment means the required payment was not made, not that only part was paid.
My friend showed non-payment at dinner.
My friend did not pay for dinner.
Non-payment is mainly a formal term for money that is officially owed.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Non-payment' is the broad formal term for money that should have been paid but was not. 'Default' is stronger and usually points to a legal or contractual failure, especially with loans or bonds. 'Arrears' focuses on overdue payments that have piled up over time, such as rent or wages. 'Delinquency' is common in finance and credit reporting, where it suggests a scheduled payment is seriously late. In a school letter, you might read 'non-payment of fees'; in a bank document, you are more likely to see 'loan default' or 'payment delinquency'. If several months are still owed, 'arrears' is often the best choice.

non-payment ↗default ↗arrearsdelinquency ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • because of non-payment
  • due to non-payment
  • termination for non-payment
  • cut off for non-payment

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

This noun was formed in English by adding 'non-' to 'payment'. 'Payment' comes from the verb 'pay', which reached English through Old French from Latin roots connected with settling a debt or making peace. The modern word keeps that money sense and names the absence of the payment that should have been made.