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Glite Dictionary
in arrears

in arrears

4 7.4
Being late paying money you owe
  • idiom
  • /ɪn əˈrɪrz/
  • Formal
translation icon : en mora
  • "You are over $8,000 in arrears in back property taxes," said former Mayor Mary Ann Courville.

And they were staying in her house and that the landlord took the door off the house because the rent was in arrears or something.

Examples

  • Half of all council tenants on Universal Credit are at least a month in arrears in their rent.

  • Last town report said you were in arrears in your taxes, Andy.

    Silver Bullet (1985)

  • Because the rent is once more in arrears.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Even at the club, he was in arrears for locker fees.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Look, you got 75K in arrears, all right?

    Love for Sale (2008)

  • Your dues are in arrears.

    Kingpin (1996)

  • Two months in arrears.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Squatters are so many months in arrears that my son sent the sheriff to have you evicted.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • Donald says that the bank, they won't foreclose unless we are over 90 days in arrears.

    Midnight Stallion (2013)

  • He is currently in arrears on his mortgage payments, facing the risk of foreclosure.

Synonyms

overdue
vsin arrears
103 2.7

Not done, paid, or returned by the expected time

applies to owing scheduled payments that are late rather than any past due item
outstanding
vsin arrears
  • Specialized
83 3.9

Not yet paid and still owed

means the same but stresses late regular payments rather than just owed amounts
unpaid
vsin arrears
50 1.8

Money that someone still owes and has not paid

emphasizes repeated scheduled payments missed and being late rather than simply not paid
behind on
vsin arrears
  • US
36 3.7

Not doing tasks or paying bills when you should

refers only to owing money and missing regular payment dates
delinquent
vsin arrears
16 6.8

Not paying money owed after the due date

focuses on owing scheduled payments rather than implying legal fault
behindhand
vsin arrears
  • Archaic
8.9

Late in doing something, especially in paying money you owe

refers specifically to owing money on regular scheduled payments

Antonyms

paid-up
13 4.9

With all needed money already given for a membership or insurance

positive balance
1 3.2

An account that has more money in it than you have taken out

How Late

default
  • Specialized
74 5.2
in arrears
  • Formal
4 7.4
late
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

in arrears positive

Morphology

in + arrears

The meaning 'owing money that should have been paid earlier' is directly derived from the noun 'arrears' (unpaid debt) combined with the preposition 'in' marking a state or condition. This 'in + state-noun' composition is a common, predictable pattern in English (and in many other languages), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

In arrears comes from an old word that meant 'behind' or 'at the back'. It gives the image of payments left behind, so if you are in arrears you are 'behind' and 'late' in paying money you owe.