# underpaid

/ˈəndɝˈpeɪd/ (US) · /ˌʌndəpˈeɪd/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/underpaid
Updated: 2026-05-20

## Definition

to pay someone less money than they deserve or than is fair for the work they do.

For teachers: to pay a person less than the amount they are entitled to or than is considered fair for their service or labor.

## Examples

- The company underpaid the workers for their overtime.
- Many employees felt they were underpaid for the long hours they worked during the busy holiday season.
- The legal team argued that the contractor had been systematically underpaid for the specialized skills required to complete the infrastructure project on time.

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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.