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arrearage

American  
[uh-reer-ij] / əˈrɪər ɪdʒ /

noun

  1. the state or condition of being in arrears.

  2. Often arrearages. arrears; amount or amounts overdue.

  3. Archaic. a thing or part kept in reserve.


Etymology

Origin of arrearage

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English arerage, from Old French; see origin at arrears, -age

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Nevertheless, keeping a creditworthy borrower in a home through a sustainable modification and resolving the arrearage through a subordinate lien can be dramatically less costly than allowing the loan to fail.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

Even then, water companies must choose to participate in the arrearage programs; those who don’t exclude their customers from financial aid.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2022

Last month, the Chase Lloyd House Board of Trustees, which oversees the mansion, approved a $24,000 grant from its endowment to help pay off rent arrearage for women living in Annapolis public housing.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 30, 2021

However, earned surplus, out of which dividend arrears would have to be paid, still amounted to only about a third of the arrearage.

From Time Magazine Archive

There is an arrearage of pay of two weeks due to the force, and the men have by the law and rules of the board been prevented from engaging in any other business or occupation.

From Baltimore and The Nineteenth of April, 1861 A Study of the War by George William Brown

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