un·banked
ˌən-ˈbaŋ(k)t 
: not banked
especially
: lacking a slope or inward tilt
"A sharp unbanked curve that currently has a reduced speed advisory will be reworked and banked to increase driver safety," said [liaison to the Ocean County Department of Engineering, John P.] Kelly. —
Tri-Town News (Orange County, New Jersey)
Tri-Town News (Orange County, New Jersey) (golf) … an invaluable shot to an unbanked green … —Jimmy Demaret
Jimmy Demaret
: not having money deposited in a bank
unbanked Americans/communities
Currently, it's next to impossible for unbanked people, especially those operating in cash or voucher-based societies, to become eligible for asset-building materials like business loans.—Ellie Anzilotti
Ellie AnzilottiHouseholds with the least education, with disabilities, with the lowest incomes and with the highest variations in monthly income were the most likely to be unbanked.—Erin Schilling
Erin Schilling
also
: not deposited in a bank
unbanked money
: people who do not have money deposited in a bank
the growing numbers of unbanked
—usually used with theNever mind the practicality of cheques or ATM machines, let alone the luxury of credit cards or airline miles: the unbanked have no checking, savings or mobile money provider accounts, no access to financial products like insurance, loans or mortgages, no protection for their money from theft or loss.—Luca Ventura
Luca VenturaAs online transactions become ubiquitous, life has become more challenging for those who rely on cash: the unbanked, those who don't or can't access banking and financial services, and the underbanked, those who don't make full use of such services.—Jackie Benton
Jackie BentonExamples of unbanked in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
Fintech companies have expanded in recent years to reach unbanked people who could access digital financial services via a mobile phone.
—semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Marcos Alemán, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024
The ranks of the unbanked are also falling as the population gets older, and becomes generally more educated — older folks and those with more education are more likely to be banked.
—Emily Peck, Axios, 19 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for unbanked
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Adjective
Uganda's tech ecosystem, from Hive CoLab to fintech startups addressing unbanked populations, exemplifies innovation from the ground up.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
Fintech companies have expanded in recent years to reach unbanked people who could access digital financial services via a mobile phone.
—semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
The tiny Central American country has long used the dollar as currency, but Bukele promised bitcoin would provide new opportunities for El Salvador’s unbanked and cut out money transfer services from the remittances Salvadorans abroad send home.
—Marcos Alemán, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024
The ranks of the unbanked are also falling as the population gets older, and becomes generally more educated — older folks and those with more education are more likely to be banked.
—Emily Peck, Axios, 19 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for unbanked
Cite this Entry
“Unbanked.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unbanked. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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