# owed

/ˈoʊd/ (US) · /ˈəʊd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/owed
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. past tense of owe

verb · CEFR A2

the past form of 'owe', meaning you had to pay money or give something back to someone.

For teachers: the simple past and past participle of 'owe', denoting a past or ongoing financial or moral obligation.

- He owed his brother fifty dollars for the concert tickets they bought last week.
- The company owed its success to a series of strategic partnerships formed during the early stages of the market expansion.

### 2. yet to be paid

adjective · CEFR B1

money or a favor that has not been paid or given yet.

For teachers: referring to a debt or obligation that remains outstanding or unpaid.

- The total amount owed was much higher than I expected because of the interest.
- The accountant meticulously calculated the interest on the funds owed to the creditors to ensure the final settlement was accurate.

Usage: usually follows the noun it describes or appears after the verb 'to be'.

## Examples

- I still owe him ten dollars for lunch.
- After all the help she gave me during the move, I felt I owed her a huge favor.
- The company collapsed because it owed more to its creditors than it could ever hope to generate in annual revenue.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.