undocumented

American  

[uhn-dok-yuh-men-tid] / ʌnˈdɒk yəˌmɛn tɪd /

adjective

1. lacking documentation or authentication.

2. lacking proper immigration or working papers: undocumented immigrants.

   an undocumented worker;

   undocumented immigrants.

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Sensitive Note

See illegal alien.

Etymology

Origin of undocumented

First recorded in 1880–85; un- ¹ + documented ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does undocumented compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• undocumented vs. illegal

Explanation

When something is undocumented, it's not written down or recorded. When a person is undocumented. they don't have the proper records or identification that the law requires. These days in the U.S., you're very likely to come across this word in the context of immigration. When you hear about someone who's an undocumented worker or an undocumented immigrant, it means that they were born in another country, moved to the U.S. at some point, and don't currently have the legal documentation they need to work, attend school, or otherwise live freely and openly.

Example Sentences

On the eve of the vote, frontrunner Keiko Fujimori told AFP she would "restore order" in her first 100 days by sending the army into prisons, deporting undocumented migrants and strengthening borders.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

“I’m a queer, undocumented Mexican immigrant. I am what inspires me to create stories,” said Armando Ibáñez, the 42-year-old, Los Angeles-based filmmaker known for his YouTube series “Undocumented Tales.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

A majority of the court's justices on Wednesday seemed unconvinced that the US should stop granting citizenship to children of undocumented immigrants and some temporary US visitors.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

Its unusual body structure highlights just how diverse termite species can be and points to how many organisms in tropical environments remain undocumented.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

It was because of this continuous stream of undocumented human souls that, a few months after our arrival, my mother warned me about the perils of a favourite habit of mine: begging for food.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane