unwritten

adjective

un·​writ·​ten ˌən-ˈri-tᵊn 

1

: not expressed in writing : oral, traditional

an unwritten rule

2

: containing no writing : blank

Synonyms

• oral
• verbal
• spoken

Examples of unwritten in a Sentence

They had an unwritten agreement.

an unwritten contract may not be enforceable

Recent Examples on the Web

What’s more likely, in my opinion, is that voters wanted to make a statement about musical genres and the unwritten rules that have long determined who gets to participate in them. —Andrea Williams, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025

This prevents unwritten rules from being bent or broken. —Nate Bennett, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025

Padraig Harrington does not take the unwritten rules of golf lightly. —Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 28 June 2025

By breaking the unwritten rule of playing with another person’s tarot cards, each of the friends are stalked by ancient astrologer who bound her soul to the deck bu physically manifesting herself as the ghoulish characters pictured on the cards they were dealt. —Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing unwritten

• unwritten constitution
• unwritten law

Rhymes for unwritten

• handwritten
• rewritten
• typewritten
• bitten
• briton
• chiton
• gittin
• kitten
• mitten
• smitten
• whitten
• written

Kids 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