- the past participle of write
- taken down in writing; transcribed: written evidence, the written word
Compare spoken
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
writ•ten
(rit′n),USA pronunciation v., adj.
v.
adj.
v.
- a pp. of write.
adj.
- expressed in writing (distinguished from spoken).
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
write /raɪt/USA pronunciation
v., wrote/roʊt/USA pronunciation writ•ten/ˈrɪtən/USA pronunciation writ•ing.
v.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026v.
- to form (letters, words, etc.), esp. on paper, with a pen or pencil: [~ + object]He learned to write his name.[no object]to learn to read and write.
- to express or communicate in writing, as in an essay: [~ + object]to write a story.[no object]to write about your personal experiences.
- to communicate with (someone) by (a letter): [~ + object]I wrote her about your troubles.[~ + object + to + object]She wrote a thank-you note to me.[~ + object + object]She wrote me a thank-you note.[~ (+ object) + that clause]I wrote (her) that you were having some troubles.[~ (+ object) + to + verb]She wrote (me) to say thank you.[no object]I wrote to her.
- to fill in the blank spaces of (a printed form) with writing:[~ + object]to write a check.
- to be the author or composer of: [~ + object]He wrote several good books. He wrote the music for that movie.[no object]He writes for a magazine.
- Computing[~ + object] to transfer (data, text, etc.) from computer memory to a disk or printer.
- write down, to set down in writing;
record;
note: [~ + down + object]He wrote down his ideas on scraps of paper.[~ + object + down]He writes his ideas down. - write in:
- Governmentto vote for (a candidate not listed) by writing his or her name on the ballot: [~ + in + object]to write in the name of the candidate.[~ + object + in]to write the name in on the ballot.
- [no object] to request something by mail:If interested, please write in for details.
- write off:
- to cancel (an unpaid debt, or a debt that cannot be collected): [~ + off + object]to write off a debt.[~ + object + off]to write the debts off.
- to regard or think of as worthless, failed, or of no use;
decide to forget: [~ + off + object]to write off a bad experience.[~ + object + off]to write it off to experience.
- write out:
- to write in full: [~ + out + object]Write out the entire sentence.[~ + object + out]Write your full name out.
- [~ + out + object] to fill out by writing in the spaces of (a form):I'll write out a check.
- write up, to put into writing, esp. in full detail: [~ + up + object]to write up a report of the incident.[~ + object + up]He knew he had to write it up before he went home for the day.
- Idioms nothing (or something) to write home about, nothing (or something) worth one's notice.
- Idioms write the book, to be the first or most famous or recognized authority:They practically wrote the book on getting along with people.
write
(rīt),USA pronunciation v., wrote or (Archaic) writ;
writ•ten or (Archaic) writ;
writ•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
writ•ten or (Archaic) writ;
writ•ing.
v.t.
- 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. - to express or communicate in writing;
give a written account of. - to fill in the blank spaces of (a printed form) with writing:to write a check.
- to execute or produce by setting down words, figures, etc.:to write two copies of a letter.
- to compose and produce in words or characters duly set down:to write a letter to a friend.
- to produce as author or composer:to write a sonnet; to write a symphony.
- to trace significant characters on, or mark or cover with writing.
- to cause to be apparent or unmistakable:Honesty is written on his face.
- Computingto transfer (information, data, programs, etc.) from storage to secondary storage or an output medium.
- Stock Exchange, Businessto sell (options).
- to underwrite.
v.i.
- 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.
- to write as a profession or occupation:She writes for theDaily Inquirer.
- to express ideas in writing.
- to write a letter or letters, or communicate by letter:Write if you get work.
- to compose or work as a writer or author.
- Computingto write into a secondary storage device or output medium.
- write down:
- to set down in writing;
record;
note. - to direct one's writing to a less intelligent reader or audience:He writes down to the public.
- to set down in writing;
- write in:
- Governmentto vote for (a candidate not listed on the ballot) by writing his or her name on the ballot.
- to include in or add to a text by writing:Do not write in corrections on the galley.
- to request something by mail:If interested, please write in for details.
- write off:
- to cancel an entry in an account, as an unpaid and uncollectable debt.
- to regard as worthless, lost, obsolete, etc.;
decide to forget:to write off their bad experience. - to amortize:The new equipment was written off in three years.
- write out:
- to put into writing.
- to write in full form;
state completely. - to exhaust the capacity or resources of by excessive writing:He's just another author who has written himself out.
- write up:
- to put into writing, esp. in full detail:Write up a report.
- to present to public notice in a written description or account.
- Business[Accountableing.]to make an excessive valuation of (an asset).
- bef. 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
- 6. compose, pen, author, draft, create.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
write /raɪt/ vb (writes, writing, wrote, written)
- to draw or mark (symbols, words, etc) on a surface, usually paper, with a pen, pencil, or other instrument
- to describe or record (ideas, experiences, etc) in writing
- to compose (a letter) to or correspond regularly with (a person, organization, etc)
- (transitive; may take a clause as object) to say or communicate by letter: he wrote that he was on his way
- (transitive) informal chiefly US Canadian to send a letter to (a person, etc)
- to write (words) in cursive as opposed to printed style
- (transitive) to be sufficiently familiar with (a specified style, language, etc) to use it in writing
- to be the author or composer of (books, music, etc)
- (transitive) to fill in the details for (a document, form, etc)
- (transitive) to draw up or draft
- (transitive) to produce by writing: she wrote ten pages
- (transitive) to show clearly: envy was written all over his face
- (transitive) to spell, inscribe, or entitle
- (transitive) to ordain or prophesy: it is written
- (transitive) to sit (an examination)
- (intransitive) to produce writing as specified
- to record (data) in a location in a storage device
Compare read1 - (transitive)
Compare underwrite
'written' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
above
- abridge
- abridgment
- absolute value
- accent
- account
- act
- address
- Aeneid
- aerogram
- affricate
- Alcaic
- Alexandrine
- Algonquin
- alveolar
- American
- annotate
- announcement
- answer
- apologia
- apology
- application
- appreciation
- arc
- article
- articled
- assay
- assembler
- Attic
- authentic
- author
- authorship
- authority
- autobiography
- Baconian
- ballet
- Baruch
- below
- Belshazzar
- biblical
- bilingual
- bill
- billion
- blank
- bond
- book
- boustrophedon
- bracket
- brief
- British