arranged marriage

noun ar·ranged marriage \ ə-ˈrānjd- \

Updated on: 8 Apr 2018

Definition of arranged marriage

: a marriage in which the husband and wife are chosen for each other by their parents

See arranged marriage defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of arranged marriage from the Web

Even arranged marriages have changed among urban, middle-class families.

— moni basu, CNN, "When it comes to finding Mr. Right in India, Daddy knows best," 21 Mar. 2018
Many Rohingya girls are forced to marry in their early teens, arranged marriages that tether them to much older men.

— hannah beech, New York Times, "‘I’m Struggling to Survive’: For Rohingya Women, Abuse Continues in Camps," 23 Dec. 2017
In Nigeria, Boko Haram arranges marriages for its recruits.

— The Economist, "The perils of polygamyThe link between polygamy and war," 16 Dec. 2017
Many parents in Pakistan arrange marriages for their daughters against their will, but such incidents are rare. ___ Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed contributed to this report from Islamabad.

— Washington Post, "Pakistani bride kills 17 in botched plot to kill husband," 1 Nov. 2017
Amidst warring families, arranged marriages, and untimely deaths, passion ignites in the opulent world of Renaissance Italy.

— rasputin todd, Cincinnati.com, "Things to do this week: Oct. 24-29," 23 Oct. 2017
Under Chairman Mao, arranged marriages were banned.

— chao deng, WSJ, "I Do What? In China, Some Western Wedding Customs Don’t Compute," 16 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'arranged marriage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.