unmarried
gb/ʌnmˈɛɹid/ us/ʌnmˈɛɹid/
B1
English
~ 9000
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
state
1
not married; single
Not married to a husband or wife; single.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is unmarried
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'single' when they need to talk specifically about legal marital status in forms or official situations. In those cases, 'unmarried' is more precise. Another mistake is saying '*an unmarried marriage*' instead of 'an unmarried couple' or 'an unmarried man/woman'.
Synonyms
single (Very common in everyday speech; often focuses on not having a husband, wife, or long-term partner, not just legal status.)
|
not married (Informal descriptive phrase rather than a single word; slightly less formal than 'unmarried'.)
|
unwed (More formal or old-fashioned; often used in legal or traditional contexts, especially with 'mother'.)
Antonyms
married (Direct opposite, meaning joined to another person in legal or formal marriage.)
|
wed (More formal or literary word for 'married'; mainly used in set phrases.)
Collocations
unmarried couple
|unmarried man
|unmarried woman
|unmarried partner
|unmarried mother
|unmarried parents
Themes
relationships
|family
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- At the time of the accident, he was still unmarried.
- Many unmarried workers are not eligible for certain family benefits.
- She chose to remain unmarried and focus on her career.
- The survey found that most respondents were young and unmarried.
- In some cultures, unmarried adult children are expected to live with their parents.
Learner examples
- She is thirty years old and unmarried.
- Two unmarried people share the apartment.
- He stayed unmarried because he did not want children.
- Many unmarried students live in this dorm.
- Her brother is the only unmarried person in the family.
Noun
B2
entity
2
people who are not married
All people who are not married, seen as one group.
Usage pattern:
the unmarried
Synonyms
single people (More conversational phrase; can focus slightly more on relationship status than on legal marital status.)
|
the single (Informal and less common; more likely in headlines or casual speech.)
Antonyms
the married (Direct opposite group: people who have a husband or wife.)
Collocations
the unmarried
|support for the unmarried
|rights of the unmarried
|benefits for the unmarried
Themes
relationships
|society
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The new policy aims to improve housing options for the unmarried.
- Tax rules can differ for the unmarried and the married.
- In some cities, social clubs for the unmarried are becoming more popular.
- The survey compared the health of the unmarried with that of the married.
- Benefits will be extended to both the married and the unmarried.
Learner examples
- The law gives help to the unmarried.
- This club is only for the unmarried.
- The report talks about the life of the unmarried.
- Health care costs are higher for the unmarried.
- The city supports both the married and the unmarried.
Grammar
Dictionary form
unmarried
IPA
GB/ʌnmˈɛɹid/
US/ʌnmˈɛɹid/
Syllables & stress
un - mar - ried (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (mar)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: unmarried
Word family
Expressions
unmarried couple
1/ʌnmˈɛɹid kˈʌpəl/
fixed phrase
a couple who are not married
A man and woman, or two partners, who live together or are in a relationship but are not married to each other.
Examples
- The apartment building is popular with young unmarried couples.
- In some countries, unmarried couples cannot adopt children.
- They lived as an unmarried couple for many years before deciding to marry.
unmarried man
1/ʌnmˈɛɹid mˈæn/
fixed phrase
man who is not married
An adult male who does not have a wife.
Examples
- The survey found that unmarried men were less likely to visit a doctor regularly.
- As an unmarried man, he enjoyed a lot of personal freedom.
- The tax rules are different for married and unmarried men.
unmarried mother
1/ʌnmˈɛɹid mˈʌðɚ/
fixed phrase
mother who is not married
A woman who has a child or children and does not have a husband.
Examples
- The charity offers support to unmarried mothers.
- Decades ago, unmarried mothers often faced strong social pressure.
- The report highlights the financial challenges of unmarried mothers.
unmarried parents
1/ʌnmˈɛɹid pˈɛɹənts/
fixed phrase
parents not married to each other
The mother and father of a child who are not married to each other.
Examples
- The law sets out the rights of unmarried parents.
- Schools are updating their forms to include children of unmarried parents.
- Support groups for unmarried parents are becoming more common.
unmarried partner
1/ʌnmˈɛɹid pˈɑɹtnɚ/
fixed phrase
long-term partner, not married
Someone you live with or have a serious relationship with, but who is not your husband or wife.
Examples
- Employees can list an unmarried partner as a beneficiary.
- The form allows you to include your unmarried partner under family details.
- He went to the company party with his unmarried partner.
unmarried status
1/ʌnmˈɛɹid stˈætəs/
fixed phrase
formal
legal condition of not married
Your official situation of not being married, used in law or on forms.
Examples
- Applicants must declare their unmarried status on the form.
- His unmarried status affected his eligibility for certain benefits.
- Some visas are only available to people with unmarried status.
unmarried woman
1/ʌnmˈɛɹid wˈʊmən/
fixed phrase
woman who is not married
An adult female who does not have a husband.
Examples
- She explored how society views unmarried women in different cultures.
- In the past, unmarried women had fewer legal rights.
- The hostel provides safe housing for young unmarried women.