as in oral
made or carried on through speaking rather than in writing
an unwritten contract may not be enforceable
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Recent Examples of unwritten
There are two immutable truths that govern the NFL playoffs — unwritten rules that cut through the noise of EPA models and talking-head bluster.
—
Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 13 Jan. 2026
Is there an unwritten rule about being a bland professional and not showing any personality?
—Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2026
One of the most essential, if unwritten, rules is restraint.
—Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 31 Dec. 2025
At this point, Grant thinks proficiency with AI tools is an unwritten expectation of many employers.
—IEEE Spectrum, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unwritten
Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 13 Jan. 2026
Is there an unwritten rule about being a bland professional and not showing any personality?
—Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2026
One of the most essential, if unwritten, rules is restraint.
—Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 31 Dec. 2025
At this point, Grant thinks proficiency with AI tools is an unwritten expectation of many employers.
—IEEE Spectrum, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unwritten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwritten
Adjective
-
The collaborations create a centralized care experience for parents, particularly new and nursing mothers, seeking early intervention, education, coordinated support and access to providers who collaborate closely with lactation consultants to ensure optimal feeding and oral development outcomes.—
Mark Mondier,
Arkansas Online,
1 Mar. 2026
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Most doctors recommend digital oral or rectal ones, which cost only about a third as much, for accuracy.—
Deborah Skolnik,
Parents,
1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Both the highest-intake category and the middle-intake category had also seen drops in specific cognitive areas, including memory (by 32% for the highest-intake category) and verbal fluency (by 110% for the middle-intake category and 173% for the highest-intake category).—
Caroline Tien,
SELF,
27 Feb. 2026
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Officers say that before self-defense, the first step is being verbal.—
Brian Sherrod,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The feminine advantage, beginning with the first spoken word, increases with age, according to recent researches in the language development of preschool children, girls being first to employ phrases and using longer sentences.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
27 Feb. 2026
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As Bartleby, the soft-spoken, expressionless and enigmatic Michael Crane becomes a cipher, gradually disappearing from the world in plain sight.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unwritten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwritten. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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