arrear

noun

ar·rear | \ ə-ˈrir

Definition of arrear

1 : the state of being behind in the discharge of obligations —usually used in plural They were in arrears with the rent. [=they had failed to pay the rent when it was due]

2a : an unfinished duty —usually used in plural arrears of work that have piled up

b : an unpaid and overdue debt —usually used in plural paying off the arrears of the past several months

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More About arrear

Examples of arrear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web China appears to be up to date in its payments; there are no amounts in arrears from prior years on WHO's report. — Fox News, 11 Apr. 2020 The country has virtually no arrears pending to the IMF. — Golnar Motevalli, Bloomberg.com, 12 Mar. 2020 Zimbabwe, locked out of outbreak aid programs because of debt arrears, has thrown itself at the mercy of organizations including the International Monetary Fund with no response so far. — Bloomberg.com, 7 Feb. 2020 Or, your loan could be recalculated and the arrears added to the loan balance, which might make your monthly payments go up. ■ A repayment plan. — Michelle Singletary, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Apr. 2020 Eligible customers would receive a $25 monthly credit toward current water bills with any arrears suspended for one to two years. — Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 24 Mar. 2020 Somewhere between the case of an isolated bankruptcy (American Airlines) and mass default (Indonesia, with 70% of businesses in arrears) is the borderline between individual and systemic bankruptcy. — Peter Coy, Bloomberg.com, 28 Apr. 2020 Gasoline taxes are collected two months in arrears and expected to drop 20-25 percent. — Lee Roop | Lroop@al.com, al, 26 Apr. 2020 Currently, the service department and some part-timers are paid two weeks in arrears. — John Benson, cleveland, 20 Apr. 2020

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

History and Etymology for arrear

Middle English, in plural arrers, arrears "balance due, unpaid debt," borrowed from Anglo-French arere, arrere (also sometimes in plural) "state of being behind in payment," noun derivative of arere, ariere, adverb, "back, backward, behind" (also continental Old French), going back to Vulgar Latin *ad retrō, from Latin ad "to, toward" + retrō "toward the rear, in the rear, behind" — more at at entry 1, retro-