unwritten

American  

[uhn-rit-n] / ʌnˈrɪt n /

adjective

1. not actually formulated or expressed; customary; traditional.

   Synonyms:

   inferred, tacit, understood, implicit

2. not written; not put in writing or print; oral.

   an unwritten agreement.

3. containing no writing; blank.

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unwritten British  

/ ʌnˈrɪtən /

adjective

1. not printed or in writing

2. effective only through custom; traditional

3. without writing upon it

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Etymology

Origin of unwritten

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English unwriten; un- ¹, written

Example Sentences

Whether it’s the idea that misery loves company or that everyone endures and overcomes some sort of hardship, a glimmer of hope exists in a future that is unwritten.

From Salon

It’s only fair for people to know how the game is played, she figures, but some bosses prefer unwritten rules.

From The Wall Street Journal

In a letter to critic George Jean Nathan, he described the conclusion as “merely the comma at the end of a gaudy introductory clause, with the body of the sentence still unwritten.”

From Los Angeles Times

In the Seven report, journalist Tom Wilson said cameraman Nick Carrigan was "well within his rights to be filming" and "respects the unwritten rules of not getting too close".

From BBC

The unwritten rules: the bigger, the louder, the splashier, the starrier, the better.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• accepted
• tacit
• verbal