unchartered

[ uhn-chahr-terd ]

adjective

1. without a charter.
2. without regulation; lawless.

unchartered

/ ʌnˈtʃɑːtəd /

adjective

1. not authorized by charter; unregulated
2. unauthorized, lawless, or irregular

Usage

Care should be taken not to use unchartered where uncharted is meant: uncharted (not unchartered ) territory

Word History and Origins

Origin of unchartered¹

First recorded in 1795–1805; un- ¹ + charter + -ed ²

Example Sentences

We’ve officially entered unchartered territory, with agents reimagining what it means to buy and sell real estate during a worldwide pandemic.

From Washington Blade

Why, from that unchartered industry of smuggling of whose history we have already heard so much.

From Project Gutenberg

It was well to be cautious in regard to unchartered plantations in those days of greedy fishermen.

From Project Gutenberg

His brain is staggered by an unchartered immensity in which he has no portion, which he can only watch.

From Project Gutenberg

Then, at the instigation of the favored ones, the politicians passed a law to suppress all unchartered banks.

From Project Gutenberg

In no part of the world, and at no period of time, do we find the behavior of men left to unchartered freedom.

From Project Gutenberg

Unchartered Vs. Uncharted

What’s the difference between unchartered and uncharted?

Unchartered means not having (or not done under) a charter or some other kind of official authorization, as in an unchartered flight. It’s sometimes used to mean unauthorized or lawless, as in unchartered activity. Uncharted means unexplored or unmapped, as in uncharted territory or uncharted waters.

The chart in uncharted refers to a map, but charted is not commonly used as an adjective—most people would say mapped. In contrast, both unchartered and chartered (meaning having a charter or officially authorized) are used.

The two words are often used in much different contexts, but there are some cases where both could apply. For example, a remote parcel of land may be both uncharted (unmapped) and unchartered (not bound by any official charters or laws).

Here’s an example of unchartered and uncharted used correctly in a sentence.

Example: The movie is an adventure about a group of teens who take a secret, unchartered flight to explore an uncharted island. 

Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between unchartered and uncharted.

Quiz yourself on unchartered vs. uncharted!

Should unchartered or uncharted be used in the following sentence?

This is _____ territory—it can’t be found on any map.