unpaid

/ˌʌnˈpeɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌʌnˈpeɪd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌən-ˈpād/ (ame, mw)

unpaid — adjective

  • unpaidpositive
  • more unpaidcomparative
  • most unpaidsuperlative

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

1.形容詞B1
釋義

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.

例句

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

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • paid

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

  • settled

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

文法句型

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

be / go / remain + unpaid

用法筆記

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.'

常見錯誤

❌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.形容詞B1
釋義

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.

例句

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

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • paid

    the direct opposite — work for which you receive money

  • salaried

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

文法句型

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

用法筆記

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.

常見錯誤

❌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.