as in oral
made or carried on through speaking rather than in writing an unwritten contract may not be enforceable

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of unwritten To help travelers look less like first-time tourists and more like laidback locals, here are our 10 unwritten rules to keep in mind when visiting Sydney. Chloe Sachdev, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Dec. 2024 Three unwritten rules in Hollywood are: don’t act with children, don’t act with dogs and don’t play President of the United States. Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Feb. 2025 Are there certain unwritten rules or specific etiquette that people should follow when picking up their luggage at the baggage carousel at the airport? Sydney Borchers, Fox News, 29 Jan. 2025 The terrorist designation, some fear, may challenge that unwritten rule. John Yoo and John Shu, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unwritten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwritten
Adjective
  • The third judge, Karen Henderson, said little during oral arguments earlier this week.
    Joel Rose, NPR, 26 Mar. 2025
  • During October’s oral arguments, Chief Justice John Roberts took aim at the idea that the kits primarily appeal to gun crafters, questioning whether a person who drills one or two holes and takes plastic parts out to build a gun at home would feel a sense of accomplishment.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • In the hearing, Judge Boasberg grilled the Justice Department lawyer on what happened last weekend when those planes took off and landed in El Salvador despite the judge's verbal order in court from the bench that they be turned around immediately.
    ABC News, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2025
  • This verbal confrontation didn't happen, but the discomfort of her children finding about their granddad was real.
    Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Notably, every spoken word in the game is taken directly from Shakespeare’s original text, preserving the rhythms and musicality of the language while adapting the structure to fit an interactive format.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Mar. 2025
  • In 2016, Smart earned a Grammy nomination for best spoken word album after narrating Patience and Sarah.
    Dave Quinn, People.com, 10 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Unwritten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwritten. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

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