Synonyms of unwritten

unwritten

adjective

ˌən-ˈri-tᵊn 

as in oral

made or carried on through speaking rather than in writing

an unwritten contract may not be enforceable

Synonyms & Similar Words

• oral
• verbal
• spoken
• verbalized
• nuncupative
• word-of-mouth
• implicit
• viva voce
• informal
• consensual
• articulated
• said
• told
• voiced
• sounded
• stated
• pronounced
• given

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• written
• explicit
• formal
• paper

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of unwritten

Being Considerate There are a host of unwritten rules in Japan that travelers should be cognizant of. — Catherine Heald, Travel + Leisure, 22 June 2026

Until the twentieth century, Ostrander and Rider write, presidents observed an unwritten rule against international travel. — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 16 June 2026

An unwritten rule reserving membership for liberal democracies keeps authoritarian China out, even as its trade surplus, rare minerals, military buildup and huge carbon footprint dominate the summit’s agenda. — John Leicester, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026

In fact, most of the unwritten rules around bathrooms on airplanes come back to this kind of moment, when one person in the wrong spot slows everything down. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2026