write

American  

[rahyt] / raɪt /

verb (used with object)

• writes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• wrote,
  past
• writ,
  past participle,  past (Archaic)
• written,
  past participle
• writing
  present participle

1. to trace or form (characters, letters, words, etc.) on the surface of some material, as with a pen, pencil, or other instrument or means; inscribe.

   Write your name on the board.

2. to express or communicate in writing; give a written account of.

   She wrote to thank us for the hospitality.

3. to fill in the blank spaces of (a printed form) with writing.

   to write a check.

4. to execute or produce by setting down words, figures, etc..

   to write two copies of a letter.

5. to compose and produce in words or characters duly set down.

   to write a letter to a friend.

6. to produce as author or composer.

   to write a sonnet;

   to write a symphony.

   Synonyms:

   create, draft, author, pen, compose

7. to trace significant characters on, or mark or cover with writing.

8. to cause to be apparent or unmistakable.

   Honesty is written on his face.

9. Computers. to transfer (information, data, programs, etc.) from storage to secondary storage or an output medium.

10. Stock Exchange. to sell (options).

11. to underwrite.

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verb (used without object)

• writes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• wrote,
  past
• writ,
  past participle,  past (Archaic)
• written,
  past participle
• writing
  present participle

1. to trace or form characters, words, etc., with a pen, pencil, or other instrument or means, or as a pen or the like does.

   He writes with a pen.

2. to write as a profession or occupation.

   She writes for the Daily Inquirer.

3. to express ideas in writing.

   He wrote about his trip to Borneo.

4. to write a letter or letters, or communicate by letter.

   Write if you get work.

5. to compose or work as a writer or author.

6. Computers. to transfer into a secondary storage device or output medium.

verb phrase

1. write up

   1. to put into writing, especially in full detail.

      My boss asked me to write up a report for the meeting on Monday, so I cancelled my plans and worked on it all weekend.

   2. to present to public notice in a written description or account.

   3. to document a violation, complaint, or charge against, especially in a recommendation for disciplinary action.

      Is it true that you were written up by your French teacher because you set a classroom dictionary on fire?

   4. Accounting. to make an excessive valuation of (an asset).

2. write off

   1. to cancel an entry in an account, as an unpaid and uncollectable debt.

   2. to regard as worthless, lost, obsolete, etc.; decide to forget.

      to write off their bad experience.

   3. to amortize.

      The new equipment was written off in three years.

3. write down

   1. to set down in writing; record; note.

   2. to direct one's writing to a less intelligent reader or audience.

      He writes down to the public.

4. write in

   1. to vote for (a candidate not listed on the ballot) by writing a full name rather than selecting an option on the ballot.

   2. to include in or add to a text by writing.

      Do not write in corrections on the galley.

   3. to request something by mail.

      If interested, please write in for details.

5. write out

   1. to put into writing.

   2. to write in full form; state completely.

   3. to exhaust the capacity or resources of by excessive writing.

      He's just another author who has written himself out.

write British  

/ raɪt /

verb

1. to draw or mark (symbols, words, etc) on a surface, usually paper, with a pen, pencil, or other instrument

2. to describe or record (ideas, experiences, etc) in writing

3. to compose (a letter) to or correspond regularly with (a person, organization, etc)

4. (tr; may take a clause as object) to say or communicate by letter

   he wrote that he was on his way

5. informal (tr) to send a letter to (a person, etc)

6. to write (words) in cursive as opposed to printed style

7. (tr) to be sufficiently familiar with (a specified style, language, etc) to use it in writing

8. to be the author or composer of (books, music, etc)

9. (tr) to fill in the details for (a document, form, etc)

10. (tr) to draw up or draft

11. (tr) to produce by writing

    he wrote ten pages

12. (tr) to show clearly

    envy was written all over his face

13. (tr) to spell, inscribe, or entitle

14. (tr) to ordain or prophesy

    it is written

15. (tr) to sit (an examination)

16. (intr) to produce writing as specified

17. computing to record (data) in a location in a storage device Compare read 1

18. (tr) Compare underwrite

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write Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing write

• nothing to write home about
• wrote

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• miswrite
  verb (used with object)
• writable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• writing
  present
• writ
  past
• written
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• write
  simple
• writes
  simple
• have writ
  perfect
• have written
  perfect
• has writ
  perfect
• has written
  perfect
• am writing
  progressive
• are writing
  progressive
• is writing
  progressive
• have been writing
  perfect progressive
• has been writing
  perfect progressive

Past

• writ
  simple
• wrote
  simple
• had writ
  perfect
• had written
  perfect
• was writing
  progressive
• were writing
  progressive
• had been writing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will write
  simple
• will have writ
  perfect
• will have written
  perfect
• will be writing
  progressive
• will have been writing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of write

First recorded before 900; Middle English writen, Old English wrītan; cognate with Old Saxon wrītan “to cut, write,” German reissen “to tear, draw,” Old Norse rīta “to score, write”

Explanation

To write is to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. If you have trouble falling asleep, write down all the thoughts swimming around your head before getting into bed as a way to clear your mind. Write is the modern day spelling of the Old English writan, meaning “to score, outline, draw the figure of.” Now it has the sense of “to set down in writing.” You can write music, a short story, or computer code. You can write a letter, or write in cursive. You can write up an account of a burglary, or write down your feelings in a journal. Write on!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

write writes writ wrote written writing

While at Schlumberger, he worked for four years at an oilfield in Oman, where he had to write a daily summary of operations that was read by many colleagues.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

Only when the AI volunteered to write up its findings in a formal paper did he realize that it had found something—and that his technique had worked.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026

Diagnosed with autism, Arday had said he was non-verbal until age 11 and only learnt to read and write at 18, before becoming Cambridge's professor of sociology of education at 37.

From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026

You write that you are living off your savings until Medicare, Social Security and your pension all kick in at 65.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026

I kept writing, kept begging him to write back.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

Protests against data centers and Flock cameras aren’t just about opposing AI, Tim Higgins writes for The Journal—they show a yearning for an American ideal without AI.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

‘Yes, his contributions to entertainment will be long remembered and enjoyed, but his gifts to children will likely have no end,’ writes an L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

It writes that the "relentless string of accusations had become too much", according to the ex-professor's family.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

Investors must learn to live with uncertainty about any supplies from the Gulf even if an agreement on the strait eventually appears, Christopher Smart writes.

From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026

She writes code to ask if I am able to see that she is testing my arm.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga

The government injected billions into banks, insurance giant AIG and the automobile industry to prevent the collapse of individual companies that would have jeopardized the economy and the financial system writ large if they failed.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

It represents a leap in the evolution of Saar’s work — her smaller scale imaginings now writ large.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

Reform MP Lee Anderson moved the writ in the Commons on Thursday morning, meaning there will be a likely by-election date of Thursday, 13 August, though this has yet to be confirmed.

From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026

This, sadly, is also the story of traditional TV writ large—kept afloat by football.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026

If she was incarcerated, her lawyer could file a writ of habeas corpus, which gives prisoners the right to challenge their imprisonment.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

“A loss of the incumbent’s trifecta tempers fiscal expectations, leading to a post-election rally in Treasuries,” the strategists wrote in a recent note.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026

Last month, the Atlantic wrote that “Daggermouth,” a self-published dystopian romance whose rights were snapped up by Simon & Schuster, and which has consistently topped bestseller lists, contained hallmarks of AI use.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

"That's some serious craftsmanship," a Weibo user wrote.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

A talented songwriter, Cecil wrote tracks for Patti Labelle, the Four Tops and the O’Jays.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

I know because I finally rescued that darn journal from the bottom of my bag and wrote it down.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

I coauthored a piece in April called “Gambler’s Blues: Betting Isn’t Investing” that got more attention than almost anything I have ever written.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026

Disabled and terminally ill campaigners have written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging him to reform social and palliative care before assisted dying legislation is introduced in England and Wales.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

“Due to the severity of the injuries, the veterinarian recommended humane euthanasia, which was also supported by CDFW’s Wildlife Health Laboratory veterinarian,” wildlife officials said in the written statement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

Each additional symbol brought the opportunity to bring greater refinement of rhythm, feeling and clarity to the written word.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Someone had written a letter for her, and Father Harte had read it to us.

From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff

Inside, travellers have left Greek scrawled on the walls, although it is not clear how old the writing is.

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

Chandler says one of the things that stood out to him the first time he read the script for “Lanterns” was the writing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

AI writing seems off, and not just because of its reliance on “it’s not X, it’s Y” constructions or my beloved em dashes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

But Trump’s latest posts appear less interested in interrogating Washington than in imagining him as a collaborator — writing, riding and offering design tips to his 21st-century successor.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

Once she started writing, I’d have no chance of getting her attention.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

Related Words

• address
• compose
• create
• draft
• note
• pen
• print
• record
• rewrite
• scrawl
• scribble
• sign
• tell