as in oral
made or carried on through speaking rather than in writing an unwritten contract may not be enforceable

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of unwritten Besides anger over the couple’s apparent violation of the internet’s unwritten code of decorum, many were incensed that the couple was charging would-be green card seekers to perform a service that was essentially free. Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025 The unwritten agreement between state and citizen is that the state will use a measure of force for the protection of the citizen, for the benefit of society. Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 4 Sep. 2025 Jo said Lee is seeking to lock in the terms favorable to South Korea in the trade deal, which remains unwritten and largely unclear. Stella Kim, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2025 Indeed, Trump’s legal team insisted to the Times that there was an unwritten understanding between the pair. Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unwritten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwritten
Adjective
  • And in each individual voice there are echoes of other voices, contemporary or past, written or oral, political or philosophical, from the Bible or from newspaper articles, rumors about town, memories of someone long dead.
    Karl Ove Knausgaard, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Trump’s lawyers have also asked for oral argument, which the judge may grant before ruling.
    Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Encourage your self-expression in verbal and written skills.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The investigation showed the incident began as a road rage event, initially a verbal altercation, involving the occupants of a pair of vehicles, the release states.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • When Blackstone played the song, Junie performed her spoken-word segment on the tune, and then joined her mom on the track’s end.
    Gail Mitchell, Billboard, 15 Oct. 2025
  • In fact, one of the notable things about him in his fighting days was his brutality in the ring, and his soft-spoken demeanor outside it.
    Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 13 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Unwritten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwritten. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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