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

Undocumented growing seasons are literally lost forever, so Deere has a time-based advantage its competitors can’t recreate.

From Barron's • Jan. 16, 2026

Undocumented migrants can access health services in Chile, and enroll their children in public schools.

From Barron's • Nov. 30, 2025

Undocumented parents are preparing for the worst in response to the L.A. immigration raids.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 16, 2025

Undocumented households, notes a separate USC study, have consistently had the lowest median household income in L.A. — $46,500, compared to $75,000 among all Angelenos in 2024.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 14, 2025

For thirty years, the DCF's Undocumented Child Rule has protected children in need of welfare screening, with the department supposed to be responding to reports of abuse "without regard to the immigration status."

From Salon • Jun. 12, 2025