owing

/ˈəʊɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈəʊɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈō-iŋ/ (ame, mw)

owing — adjective

  • owingpositive
  • more owingcomparative
  • most owingsuperlative

1. describes money that someone is supposed to give back or hand over but has not y

1.形容詞C1
釋義

describes money that someone is supposed to give back or hand over but has not yet handed over; typically placed after the amount it refers to, as in '$200 still owing'

例句

Élise checked the invoice and saw that two months' rent was still owing.

predicative: [amount] + is/was + still owing

Haruto told the landlord he would clear the small balance owing by Friday afternoon.

post-noun modifier: [amount] + owing

同義詞
  • outstanding

    very close in meaning; slightly more common in business writing — 'an outstanding balance' is fine attributively, unlike 'owing'.

  • unpaid

    broader; can be attributive ('unpaid bills') and is the everyday word a learner should reach for first.

  • overdue

    adds the idea that the deadline has already passed, not just that the money is still owed.

反義詞
  • paid

    the everyday opposite — used both attributively and predicatively.

  • settled

    stresses that the account has been fully cleared, not just paid in part.

文法句型

money + is/remains owing

amount + still owing

用法筆記

Predicative or post-nominal only — say 'the amount still owing', not 'the owing amount'. Subject is almost always money, rent, tax, or a balance; the creditor is introduced with 'to' (owing to the bank, owing to suppliers).

常見錯誤

❌She paid the owing rent.
✅She paid the rent that was still owing.
💡'owing' cannot sit before the noun like a normal adjective; place it after, or recast with a relative clause.
❌I am owing you fifty dollars.
✅I owe you fifty dollars.' or ✅ 'Fifty dollars is still owing to you.
💡the verb 'owe' is not used in the progressive; for the state, use the verb 'owe' or rephrase with 'owing' after the amount.