did not pay

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "did not pay" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that someone failed to make a payment or fulfill a financial obligation. Example: "He did not pay the rent on time, which caused issues with his landlord."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Current TV did not pay.

The New York Times

I did not pay the extra $10.

The New York Times

The gamble did not pay off.

The New York Times

She, too, did not pay.

The New York Times

Zaid did not pay a fine.

The Washington Post

Mouirnho's gamble, however, did not pay off.

Independent

Even then, many still did not pay.

The Guardian

The opposition strategy did not pay off.

The New York Times

They did not pay a fine.

The New York Times

He did not pay for it himself.

The New York Times

And Stoppelman's gamble did not pay off for Yelp shareholders.

Columbia University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider replacing "did not pay" with stronger verbs like "defaulted", "refused", or "withheld" to convey specific nuances of the situation.

Common error

Avoid using "did not pay" in situations where the lack of payment is due to a mutual agreement or service exchange. For instance, instead of saying 'The artist did not pay for the venue', consider something like 'The artist provided artwork in lieu of payment for the venue'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "did not pay" functions as a negative transitive verb phrase. It indicates the absence of the action of paying, typically followed by a direct object specifying what was not paid. Ludwig provides numerous examples demonstrating its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "did not pay" is a common and grammatically sound way to express the absence of a payment. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's widely used across diverse fields, particularly in news, academia, and general discourse. While the phrase itself is straightforward, consider its nuance and use alternatives like "failed to pay" or "refused to pay" to convey a more accurate meaning. Remember to consider the context, as it helps to avoid common mistakes, as using "did not pay" when there was a mutual agreement. It's a versatile phrase with high comprehension, making it a staple in English communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

failed to pay

A more formal alternative, emphasizing a lack of fulfillment of an obligation.

refused to pay

Indicates a deliberate choice to not provide payment.

defaulted on payment

Specifically refers to failing to meet a payment obligation, often in a loan or debt context.

neglected to pay

Suggests an oversight or lack of attention led to the failure to pay.

withheld payment

Implies a deliberate holding back of funds that were otherwise due.

did not settle

Refers to a lack of agreement on the amount to be paid.

overlooked payment

Similar to 'neglected to pay', but with a stronger emphasis on accidental omission.

circumvented payment

Indicates an avoidance or evasion of a payment obligation.

avoided paying

Implies a deliberate action to escape the responsibility of payment.

evaded payment

Suggests a more deceptive and potentially illegal means of avoiding payment.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "did not pay" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases such as "failed to pay" or "defaulted on payment", depending on the specific context.

What's the difference between "refused to pay" and "did not pay"?

"Refused to pay" implies a conscious decision to withhold payment, while "did not pay" could be due to oversight, inability, or other reasons. The former carries a stronger connotation of intent.

How to use "did not pay" in a sentence?

You can use "did not pay" to indicate a failure to make a payment. For example: "He did not pay his rent on time", or "The company did not pay the invoice".

What are some alternatives for "did not pay" when describing unintentional non-payment?

If the non-payment was unintentional, consider using phrases like "neglected to pay" or "overlooked payment" to convey the lack of intent.