postpaid
Definition
Adjective 1. Paid in advance; with postage prepaid: Describes a service, particularly mail, for which payment has been made before it is sent or used. The cost is covered by the sender.
Usage
The adjective "postpaid" is used to describe an item, typically a letter or parcel, where the postage has been paid by the sender. It is the opposite of "collect" or "cash on delivery." It is often written on the item itself.
Examples
- Please send the package postpaid so the recipient does not have to pay any fees upon delivery.
- The company provides a postpaid return envelope for customer convenience.
- All replies to this survey must be postpaid to ensure a high response rate.
Advanced Usage
- In telecommunications: While less common today, "postpaid" can describe a mobile phone service plan where the customer is billed after using the service for a period (e.g., monthly), as the service provider has advanced trust that the bill will be paid. This contrasts with a "prepaid" plan where credit is purchased in advance.
- Example: She prefers a postpaid mobile plan for its predictable monthly billing.
Variants and Related Words
- Prepaid (adj.): Paid for in advance. (Often used interchangeably with "postpaid" in the context of mail, but can imply a different payment structure in other contexts like phone plans).
- Freepost (n., trademark): A service where the recipient pays the postage, often used for business reply mail.
Synonyms
- Prepaid
- Postage-paid
- Freepost (specific to reply services)
Antonyms
- Collect
- Cash on delivery (COD)
- Due
- Postage due
Adjective
-
used especially of mail; paid in advance
