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unwritten

unwritten

1 3.9
Not planned or put on paper in advance
  • adjective
  • /ʌnˈrɪtən/
translation icon : improvisado
  • I really do think there's an unwritten story, and I think it's time to put fingers to keys.

It's it's AI think the, the, the future is unwritten there.

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Examples

  • Furthermore, the unwritten knowledge of forest peoples is rapidly disappearing.

    Academic text (1993)
  • Their conversation was lively and unwritten, filled with spontaneous laughter and unplanned anecdotes.

  • Perhaps the past is better left untold or unwritten.

    Academic text (2011)
  • In old age, Wilson once talked of an unwritten work, perhaps in novel form—he thought he might not live to do it—that would consist of a round of visits among the "blasted" comrades of his youth.

    Academic text (1990)
  • Her speech was filled with unwritten words, flowing naturally without any script.

  • The artist created unwritten melodies as he improvised on the piano during the performance.

Synonyms

spontaneous
vsunwritten
187 4.2

Happening naturally without planning or outside cause

is closer to spoken or acted spontaneity rather than natural feeling
impromptu
vsunwritten
37 6.3

Done or said without preparation

covers the same immediacy but for any unplanned comment or act
unplanned
vsunwritten
25 3.5

Happening by chance without getting ready first

focuses more on natural spontaneity rather than accidental occurrence
unscripted
vsunwritten
13 5.3

Not planned in writing and done while people speak or act

is similar but also applies to any everyday spontaneous comment
improvisational
vsunwritten
10 7.2

Made or done without planning, using what is on hand

is similar but applies broadly to any spontaneous remark or action
unrehearsed
vsunwritten
7 5.3

Not planned or practiced before

is the general spontaneous sense but not limited to performance
unpremeditated
vsunwritten
2 7.5

Happening without being planned or thought about first

is similar but applies also to casual improvised remarks or actions
extemporaneous
vsunwritten
2 9.1

Said or done without preparation on the spot

is alike but extends to casual unplanned remarks and actions
improvised
vsunwritten
1 4.6

Made quickly using what is available

focuses more generally on spontaneous words or actions rather than materials
improvisatory
vsunwritten
1 7.7

Happens without planning, often on the spot

is the same idea but covers informal remarks as well as acts
ad lib
vsunwritten
1 7.7

Says or does something without planning

is broader, applying to spontaneous acts beyond just spoken moments
unstudied
vsunwritten
1 6.4

Not planned or practiced and seeming natural

is similar but more focused on unplanned speech or acts
extemporary
vsunwritten
8.8

Happening without much planning

covers the same lack of preparation for everyday speech or acts
undesigned
vsunwritten
7.3

Not planned or done on purpose

is aligned but emphasizes spontaneous remarks rather than lack of intent
unconstructed
vsunwritten
6.0

Speech or action that feels natural and not planned

shares naturalness but specifically covers unplanned spoken or acted moments

Antonyms

26 1.0

Arranged before it happens on purpose

3.7

Written in advance rather than made up while speaking or acting

Compounds

unwritten law
  • Specialized
3 7.2

A rule people follow because of custom rather than being made by the government

How Planned

scripted
3.7
planned
26 1.0
prepared
103 1.3
unwritten
1 3.9
unrehearsed
7 5.3
spontaneous
187 4.2
impulsive
78 4.4

Surface Forms

unwritten positive

Morphology

unwritten = written (transparent) = un + written

Formed by the productive negative prefix 'un-' added to 'written' (written = expressed in writing), so the meaning 'not written' is directly derivable.

Etymology

Unwritten comes from the prefix un- meaning 'not' and written from write, so it simply means 'not written down'. So an unwritten speech or remark is one made without notes, made up at the moment.