undocumented
undocumented — adjective
- undocumentedpositive
- more undocumentedcomparative
- most undocumentedsuperlative
1. without the official papers that let you live or work in a country you were not
without the official papers that let you live or work in a country you were not born in.
Lan crossed the border at night and lived for years as an undocumented worker.
undocumented + worker; describes a person lacking legal papers
The factory secretly hired undocumented migrants and paid them far below the legal wage.
undocumented + migrants (plural noun)
Many undocumented families avoid hospitals because they fear being reported to the police.
Sade arrived on a tourist visa, then stayed on and became undocumented.
Christopher spent his savings on a lawyer who helps undocumented residents apply to stay.
- legal
having official permission to live or work in the country
文法句型
undocumented + noun (worker, migrant, resident)
用法筆記
Object noun is usually a person or group living or working abroad — worker, migrant, immigrant, resident, family. Often replaces the harsher word 'illegal' in careful or sympathetic writing.
常見錯誤
2. not backed up by written records, so there is no firm proof that it is true or t
not backed up by written records, so there is no firm proof that it is true or that it happened.
The reporter dismissed the rumour as an undocumented claim with no sources behind it.
undocumented + claim; means lacking written proof
Ezra warned the committee that undocumented spending could trigger a serious audit.
attributive: undocumented + spending
Two side effects of the new sleeping pill stayed undocumented until nurses started reporting them.
Researchers found a box of undocumented payments hidden in the old company's basement.
Élise refused to publish the figure because it was completely undocumented.
- unverified
stresses that nobody has checked or confirmed it yet
- unrecorded
focuses on the absence of any written note, not on proof
- documented
supported by written records or clear evidence
文法句型
undocumented + noun (claim, case, side effect)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: here the missing papers are records or evidence, not immigration permits. Subject is usually a claim, cost, event, or effect rather than a person.