undischarged

IPA/ˌʌndɪsˈtʃɑːdʒd/
IPA/ˌʌndɪsˈtʃɑːrdʒd/

undischarged — adjective

  • undischargedpositive
  • more undischargedcomparative
  • most undischargedsuperlative

1. describes borrowed money that a person or organization has not yet fully paid ba

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

describes borrowed money that a person or organization has not yet fully paid back to the lender

Example

After the restaurant failed, Ms. Chen had an undischarged debt of over thirty thousand dollars.

collocation: undischarged debt

The bank's records showed three undischarged loans under Mr. Okonkwo's name.

attributive use: undischarged + noun

Common collocations
  • undischarged debt
  • undischarged loan
  • undischarged amount
  • undischarged bankrupt
  • remain undischarged
  • still undischarged
Synonyms
  • unpaid

    more general and common than 'undischarged'; used for any bill, fee, or tax

  • outstanding

    commonly used in business and finance for debts that have not been settled by their due date

  • unsettled

    similar to 'outstanding', but can also apply to accounts or disputes not yet resolved

Antonyms
  • discharged

    the direct antonym, meaning the debt has been fully paid and legally cleared

  • paid

    everyday term for a settled debt

  • settled

    common in business English for a debt that has been resolved

Grammar Patterns

undischarged + noun (debt/loan/amount)

remain + undischarged (predicative)

Usage Note

Frequently used in legal and financial contexts. An 'undischarged bankrupt' is a person declared bankrupt by a court who still has unpaid debts.

Common Mistakes

The loan is still undischarged, so I have completely paid it off.
The loan is still undischarged, so I still owe money on it.
'undischarged' means NOT paid; mixing it with the idea of completion is contradictory.
I have an undischarged appointment at three o'clock.
I have an undischarged debt at the bank.
'undischarged' is not a general synonym for 'unfinished'; it applies specifically to debts, duties, guns, or emotions.

2. describes a weapon such as a gun or pistol that still contains unused ammunition

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

describes a weapon such as a gun or pistol that still contains unused ammunition and has not been shot

Example

The police officer found an undischarged pistol inside the kitchen cupboard.

collocation: undischarged pistol

Detective Garcia carefully placed the undischarged weapon into the evidence bag.

Common collocations
  • undischarged gun
  • undischarged pistol
  • undischarged rifle
  • undischarged weapon
  • undischarged firearm
  • undischarged round
Synonyms
  • unfired

    identical meaning to 'undischarged' for weapons, but less common

  • loaded

    emphasizes that ammunition is present and the weapon is ready to fire, not that it hasn't been fired yet

Antonyms
  • fired

    straightforward opposite for a weapon that has been shot

  • discharged

    used in formal or legal contexts for a weapon that has been fired

  • spent

    refers to a round or cartridge that has been used

Grammar Patterns

undischarged + noun (gun/weapon/firearm/round)

Usage Note

Less common than 'loaded' in everyday speech. 'Undischarged' emphasizes that the weapon has never been fired, whereas 'loaded' means it currently contains ammunition.

Common Mistakes

The soldier kept his undischarged phone in his pocket.
The soldier kept his undischarged rifle nearby.
'undischarged' is not used for electronics; it applies to weapons and ammunition.
I fired the gun, but it was undischarged.
I checked the gun, and it was still undischarged.
If it has been fired, it is no longer undischarged.

3. describes a strong feeling such as anger or sadness that a person has not expres

3.adjectiveC1
Definition

describes a strong feeling such as anger or sadness that a person has not expressed or let out

Example

Mrs. Kim felt a lot of undischarged anger toward her former business partner.

collocation: undischarged anger

The therapist helped the patient express the undischarged grief he had carried since childhood.

collocation: undischarged grief

Common collocations
  • undischarged anger
  • undischarged grief
  • undischarged frustration
  • undischarged tension
  • undischarged emotion
  • undischarged energy
Synonyms
  • unexpressed

    the most direct synonym; neutral and clear in meaning

  • repressed

    stronger than 'undischarged'; implies active psychological suppression, not just lack of expression

  • pent-up

    more informal than 'undischarged'; suggests a build-up of emotion over time

  • bottled-up

    informal and vivid, describing emotion kept inside as if in a bottle

Antonyms
  • expressed

    the most direct opposite for an emotion that has been voiced or shown

  • released

    emphasizes the letting go of the feeling

  • vented

    informal, focuses on actively letting out the emotion

Grammar Patterns

undischarged + noun (anger/grief/frustration/tension)

Usage Note

Common in psychology and self-help writing. 'Undischarged' emotion is distinct from 'repressed' emotion — the former focuses on the lack of release, the latter on active suppression.

Common Mistakes

I felt undischarged after the long meeting.
I felt undischarged frustration after the long meeting.
'undischarged' modifies the emotion, not the person. Use it before the feeling, not as a description of yourself.

4. describes a task, duty, or legal obligation that a person has not yet completed

4.adjectiveC1
Definition

describes a task, duty, or legal obligation that a person has not yet completed or carried out

Example

Dr. Okafor had several undischarged duties at the hospital before he could leave.

collocation: undischarged duties

The executor still had undischarged obligations to the beneficiaries of the will.

collocation: undischarged obligations

Common collocations
  • undischarged duty
  • undischarged obligation
  • undischarged responsibility
  • undischarged task
  • undischarged function
  • remain undischarged
Synonyms
  • unfulfilled

    common synonym; works for duties, promises, and obligations

  • uncompleted

    more neutral; emphasizes the task has not been finished rather than a failure of duty

  • outstanding

    used in business and law for duties, orders, or obligations that remain to be dealt with

Antonyms
  • discharged

    the exact antonym in legal and formal usage, meaning the duty has been performed

  • fulfilled

    common opposite for obligations and promises

  • completed

    general antonym for tasks and duties

Grammar Patterns

undischarged + noun (duty/obligation/responsibility/task)

Usage Note

Frequently appears in legal documents and formal meeting minutes. Unlike 'unfinished', which is neutral, 'undischarged' carries the sense of a formal duty that remains legally or officially binding.

Common Mistakes

I have an undischarged sandwich on my desk.
I have an undischarged duty to file the report.
'undischarged' does not apply to ordinary incomplete tasks; it belongs with formal obligations and responsibilities.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

'Unpaid' is the broadest and most common word — any bill, fee, or tax that has not been paid is unpaid. 'Outstanding' adds a business or formal tone, referring to debts that remain on the books past their expected settlement date. 'Undischarged' is the most specific: it carries a legal weight and applies chiefly to court-ordered debts, bankruptcy situations, and formal financial obligations that have not been legally cleared. A small unpaid library fine is 'unpaid' or 'outstanding' but would sound too heavy described as 'undischarged.' 'Overdue' adds the sense of lateness beyond a deadline, whereas 'undischarged' does not necessarily imply the payment was late — only that it has not been fully made. For example: 'Ms. Chen had several unpaid bills, but the bank loan was the only truly undischarged debt the court was concerned about.'

unpaid ↗outstanding ↗undischarged ↗overdue ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • undischarged bankrupt
  • undischarged amount
  • undischarged portion
  • undischarged balance

Adverbs

  • still undischarged
  • remain undischarged
  • temporarily undischarged

Phrases

  • leave something undischarged
  • an undischarged state

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

'Undischarged' combines the prefix 'un-' (meaning 'not') with the past participle of 'discharge.' The root 'discharge' comes from Old French 'deschargier' (to unload), which in turn traces back to Latin 'dis-' (reversal) + 'carricare' (to load a cart). Originally used for physically unloading ships or firing guns, 'discharge' gradually expanded to mean the release of a debt, duty, or emotion. Adding 'un-' created the negative form, which arrived in English legal and financial writing by the early 1800s.

First known use

1585

1585, in the meaning defined above