unwritten
adjective
un·writ·ten
ˌən-ˈri-tᵊn 
1
: not expressed in writing : oral, traditional
an unwritten rule
2
: containing no writing : blank
Synonyms
Examples of unwritten in a Sentence
They had an unwritten agreement.
an unwritten contract may not be enforceable
Recent Examples on the Web
Pants pushback For decades, written or unwritten dress rules also forbade women from wearing pants to formal settings.
—
The Conversation, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2023
The unwritten rules of chatting on the phone differ wildly between generations, leading to misunderstandings and frustration on all sides.
—Heather Kelly, Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2023
But no one talks about the unwritten mandate, financial stability.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 5 Sep. 2023
With every additional unfinished presentation, unseen email, or unwritten report comes even more effort just to keep up with the backlog.
—Thomas Curran, Time, 8 Aug. 2023
Sherwin’s son, Alex, recalls his father’s unwritten book as a subject of frequent ribbing at the dinner table of the family’s Boston home.
—David Amsden, Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2023
An unwritten etiquette rule followed by many for years held that white garments and shoes were only worn in the summer, which officially came to its a close on Labor Day after the national holiday was established in 1894.
—Madoline Markham, Country Living, 4 Sep. 2023
Will the killer conform to Hollywood’s unwritten rule of refraining from murdering animals, and so spare the life of a pit bull, Diva, who lives with another opponent, described in the chapter heading as The Brute (Sala Baker)?
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2023
These two émigrés weren’t schooled in the intricacies of Jim Crow etiquette—that web of unwritten rules that governed how a Black American conducted himself in the presence of whites and set a low ceiling for Black aspirations.
—IEEE Spectrum, 27 Aug. 2023
See More
The Conversation, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2023
The unwritten rules of chatting on the phone differ wildly between generations, leading to misunderstandings and frustration on all sides.
—Heather Kelly, Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2023
But no one talks about the unwritten mandate, financial stability.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 5 Sep. 2023
With every additional unfinished presentation, unseen email, or unwritten report comes even more effort just to keep up with the backlog.
—Thomas Curran, Time, 8 Aug. 2023
Sherwin’s son, Alex, recalls his father’s unwritten book as a subject of frequent ribbing at the dinner table of the family’s Boston home.
—David Amsden, Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2023
An unwritten etiquette rule followed by many for years held that white garments and shoes were only worn in the summer, which officially came to its a close on Labor Day after the national holiday was established in 1894.
—Madoline Markham, Country Living, 4 Sep. 2023
Will the killer conform to Hollywood’s unwritten rule of refraining from murdering animals, and so spare the life of a pit bull, Diva, who lives with another opponent, described in the chapter heading as The Brute (Sala Baker)?
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2023
These two émigrés weren’t schooled in the intricacies of Jim Crow etiquette—that web of unwritten rules that governed how a Black American conducted himself in the presence of whites and set a low ceiling for Black aspirations.
—IEEE Spectrum, 27 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unwritten.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of unwritten was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing unwritten
Articles Related to unwritten
Dictionary Entries Near unwritten
Cite this Entry
“Unwritten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unwritten. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.
Copy Citation
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
More from Merriam-Webster on unwritten
Nglish: Translation of unwritten for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of unwritten for Arabic Speakers
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