unwritten
adjective
un·writ·ten
ˌən-ˈri-tᵊn 
1
: not expressed in writing : oral, traditional
an unwritten rule
2
: containing no writing : blank
Synonyms
Examples of unwritten in a Sentence
They had an unwritten agreement.
an unwritten contract may not be enforceable
Recent Examples on the Web
These visitors and newcomers don’t always know the unwritten rules of living in the desert, locals say.
—
Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024
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
Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024
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
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.
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Cite this Entry
“Unwritten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unwritten. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unwritten
adjective
un·writ·ten
ˌən-ˈrit-ᵊn
ˈən-
1
: not put in writing : oral, traditional
an unwritten law
2
: containing no writing : blank
unwritten pages
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