pays one's dues
Fulfills necessary obligations
To pay one's dues is to put in the time, effort, or hardship required before earning recognition or rewards.
The phrase comes from membership fees—you must contribute before you belong.
Someone who has paid their dues has earned their position through experience: She paid her dues in community theater before making it to Broadway.
The expression often appears when defending someone's credentials or criticizing those who expect success without struggle.
- hard workSustained strenuous effort
- put in the workApply consistent effort
- blood sweat and tearsMaximum physical and emotional exertion
- rite of passageTransition-marking ceremony
- coming of ageReaching adult status
learning curve · prove yourself · grit · sweat · perseverance · nose to the grindstone · achievement · initiation · trial by fire · apprenticeship · success · expectations · mastery · blister · advancement · climb the ladder · protocol · norms
pays one's duescoasts
Edges of continents
freeloads · cuts corners · silver spoon · privileged · entitled
pays one's duesfast-tracked
Accelerated through a process
leapfrogs · queue jumper · overnight success · circumvents · instant gratification
pays one's duespulls rank
Uses authority to override
throws weight around · name-drops · trust fund kid · spoiled
pays, paying, payer, payers, payable, payment, payments, repaid, repaying