unwritten

adjective

un·​writ·​ten ˌən-ˈri-tᵊn How to pronounce unwritten (audio)
1
: not expressed in writing : oral, traditional
an unwritten rule
2
: containing no writing : blank

Examples of unwritten in a Sentence

They had an unwritten agreement. an unwritten contract may not be enforceable
Recent Examples on the Web The future of work is like an unwritten musical score awaiting notes of innovation. Vishal Bhalla, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 But periodically a judge doesn’t play by the unwritten rules. Mercury News Editorial, The Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2024 Different sports vary in how far their unwritten codes tolerate deviations from the official rules. David Papineau, WSJ, 14 Dec. 2023 The special occasion brings up an age-old question as the unwritten rules of dating change: Who should pay on the first date? Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 14 Feb. 2024 That the conflict has never spilled into all-out war is only because both countries have kept to certain unwritten red lines and rules of engagement. Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2024 But the second deal — one Mr. Biden did not want revealed — was an unwritten agreement that Iran would restrict its nuclear enrichment and keep a lid on the proxy forces. Steven Erlanger, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2024 Consequently, one of the unwritten rules of the boxing gym — the kind of joint where floorboards come stained in sweat and where communication can be monosyllabic — is that everyone is welcome. Ben Wyatt, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2023 The prisoner deal is, however, an example of a new method of unwritten arrangements between Washington and Tehran, analysts say, where smaller mutual concessions are exchanged in the absence of a wider, formal agreement like the one reached in 2015 and abandoned by the Trump administration in 2018. Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 18 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unwritten.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unwritten was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near unwritten

Cite this Entry

“Unwritten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unwritten. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unwritten

adjective
un·​writ·​ten ˌən-ˈrit-ᵊn How to pronounce unwritten (audio)
ˈən-
1
: not put in writing : oral, traditional
an unwritten law
2
: containing no writing : blank
unwritten pages

More from Merriam-Webster on unwritten

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