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

Examples of arrear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

His 14,748 career rushing yards are fourth in NFL history, 521 yards arrears of Barry Sanders. — Gary Peterson, The Mercury News, "Ageless Frank Gore bound for Buffalo and 15th NFL season, but intends to retire a 49er," 8 July 2019 The country also needs foreign assistance, but the IMF has said a financial program will only be possible if Zimbabwe clears its arrears with international institutions -- such as the fund’s sister organization the World Bank -- and other creditors. — Bloomberg.com, "Zimbabwe’s Ruling Party Ready to Scrap Mugabe Policies, Officials Say," 6 Mar. 2018 The 25-year-old Texan bumbled his way to a 76 that put him four shots in arrears of winner Francisco Molinari, who certainly played well enough to win but benefited mightily from Spieth’s collapse. — Paul Newberry, The Seattle Times, "Masters: What’s wrong with Jordan Spieth?," 11 Apr. 2019 The central bank’s governor, John Mangudya, in an interview at his gated mansion outside Harare, said the government might borrow money from commercial banks to pay off some of the arrears and unlock assistance from development banks for the rest. — Gabriele Steinhauser, WSJ, "Looming Election Is Vital for Zimbabwe," 15 June 2018 The head of the bank said in September that the dictatorships in Havana and Caracas have outstanding loans of $1 billion and both are in arrears. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "Bolsonaro’s Hope and Change," 29 Oct. 2018 Did the countries in arrears count toward a quorum? — New York Times, "In a Chemical Weapons Debate, Russia Tries to Change the Subject," 26 June 2018 Connie Jones was in arrears for tens of thousands of dollars. — Michael Kiefer, azcentral, "Scottsdale shooting suspect left divorce full of discord, YouTube channel full of grudges," 4 June 2018 At the end of 2016, the state was reckoned to be almost €33bn in arrears. — The Economist, "A bizarre new government takes shape in Italy," 24 May 2018

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.