unwritten
Americanadjective
-
not actually formulated or expressed; customary; traditional.
- Synonyms:
- inferred, tacit, understood, implicit
-
not written; not put in writing or print; oral.
an unwritten agreement.
-
containing no writing; blank.
adjective
-
not printed or in writing
-
effective only through custom; traditional
-
without writing upon it
Etymology
Origin of unwritten
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English unwriten; see un- 1, written
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.
"There seems to have been an unwritten convention that if victims meekly surrendered their valuables, they deserved at least a small favor," he says.
From Science Daily • May 7, 2026
If Jobs felt Apple had an unwritten agreement with users to stay out of their lives and safeguard their information, Cook made privacy a centerpiece of his strategy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026
For Monk-Payton, that expectation functions almost like an unwritten agreement between a show and its viewers.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
But if the fighting in Iran stretches into a second month, heightening financial pressure on U.S. workers, the written and unwritten rules about office attendance could get put to the test.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026
Every Negro family in Bumblebee knew the unwritten rules—they had to take care of their own problems and take care of one another.
From "Stella by Starlight" by Sharon M. Draper
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
