1
: the state of being behind in the discharge of obligations
—usually used in plural
They were in arrears with the rent. [=they had failed to pay the rent when it was due]
2
a
: an unfinished duty
—usually used in plural
arrears of work that have piled up
b
: an unpaid and overdue debt
—usually used in plural
paying off the arrears of the past several months
Synonyms
Examples of arrear in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The country also owes billions of dollars in debt arrears.
—
Nimi Princewill, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024
State assistance is available to qualified homeowners who’ve missed at least two mortgage payments by Feb. 1 and are still in arrears, or who’ve missed at least one property tax payment by Feb. 1.
—Jon Healey, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
For the Clean Energy Alliance, a little more than 17 percent of customer accounts are in arrears, with an average debt of $292.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2024
Advertisement In the latest extension, assistance is available to qualified homeowners who’ve missed at least two mortgage payments by Feb. 1 and are still in arrears, or who’ve missed at least one property tax payment by Feb. 1.
—Jon Healey, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2024
The local currency lost more than half its value to the US dollar in June, and the country owes billions of dollars in debt arrears.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN, 13 Sep. 2023
One of the complaints aired in the open letter is that payments to the moderators, who receive a small stipend, are already in arrears and will be delayed for two more months.
—Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, 8 Aug. 2023
Fully ten months after the relief was allocated, less than a quarter of ERA funds had found their way to renters in arrears.
—Matthew Desmond, The New York Review of Books, 28 Dec. 2023
The lease has expired, Newsom said, and the business had been in arrears while illegally subleasing the space to five or six other entities.
—John Antczak, Fortune, 14 Nov. 2023
Nimi Princewill, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024
State assistance is available to qualified homeowners who’ve missed at least two mortgage payments by Feb. 1 and are still in arrears, or who’ve missed at least one property tax payment by Feb. 1.
—Jon Healey, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
For the Clean Energy Alliance, a little more than 17 percent of customer accounts are in arrears, with an average debt of $292.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2024
Advertisement In the latest extension, assistance is available to qualified homeowners who’ve missed at least two mortgage payments by Feb. 1 and are still in arrears, or who’ve missed at least one property tax payment by Feb. 1.
—Jon Healey, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2024
The local currency lost more than half its value to the US dollar in June, and the country owes billions of dollars in debt arrears.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN, 13 Sep. 2023
One of the complaints aired in the open letter is that payments to the moderators, who receive a small stipend, are already in arrears and will be delayed for two more months.
—Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, 8 Aug. 2023
Fully ten months after the relief was allocated, less than a quarter of ERA funds had found their way to renters in arrears.
—Matthew Desmond, The New York Review of Books, 28 Dec. 2023
The lease has expired, Newsom said, and the business had been in arrears while illegally subleasing the space to five or six other entities.
—John Antczak, Fortune, 14 Nov. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'arrear.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near arrear
Cite this Entry
“Arrear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arrear. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
arrear
noun
ar·rear
ə-ˈrir 
1
a
: the condition of being behind in one's duties or especially financial obligations
—usually used in pl.
in arrears with the rent
b
: the condition of being due at the end of a term rather than the beginning
—usually used in pl.
mortgage payments are made in arrears
2
: an unpaid and overdue debt
—usually used in pl.
paying off the arrears of the previous owners
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