undocumented
Americanadjective
-
lacking documentation or authentication.
-
lacking proper immigration or working papers: undocumented immigrants.
an undocumented worker;
undocumented immigrants.
Sensitive Note
See illegal alien.
Etymology
Origin of undocumented
First recorded in 1880–85; un- 1 + documented ( def. )
Compare meaning
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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.
Vocabulary lists containing undocumented
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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.
One of the groups behind the protests, March and March, had initially set a deadline of 30 June for all undocumented migrants to leave South Africa.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
“You have undocumented immigrants, young people with jobs, minors.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
Researchers examined more than 140 samples, including material collected from previously undocumented locations, using scanning electron microscopy.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026
In addition, he wants to expand multilingual education and support for working adults and students with families while “protecting immigrant and undocumented students.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
It is impossible today to reconstruct what actually occurred, because the exact nature of Gunda’s tumor is unrecorded and whether other factors contributed to her recovery is undocumented.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
