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write

/raɪt/

/raɪt/

Other forms: written; wrote; writing; writes

To write is to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. If you have trouble falling asleep, write down all the thoughts swimming around your head before getting into bed as a way to clear your mind.

Write is the modern day spelling of the Old English writan, meaning “to score, outline, draw the figure of.” Now it has the sense of “to set down in writing.” You can write music, a short story, or computer code. You can write a letter, or write in cursive. You can write up an account of a burglary, or write down your feelings in a journal. Write on!

Definitions of write
  1. verb
    write or name the letters that comprise the conventionally accepted form of (a word or part of a word)
    synonyms: spell
    see moresee less
    types:
    spell out
    spell fully and without abbreviating
    hyphen, hyphenate
    divide or connect with a hyphen
  2. verb
    mark or trace on a surface
    “The artist wrote Chinese characters on a big piece of white paper”
    “Russian is written with the Cyrillic alphabet”
    see moresee less
    types:
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    dot
    make a dot or dots
    stenograph
    write in shorthand
    calligraph
    write beautifully and ornamentally
    cross
    trace a line through or across
    superscribe
    write on the outside or upper part of
    superscribe
    write on the top or outside
    capitalise, capitalize
    write in capital letters
    letter
    mark letters on or mark with letters
    print
    write as if with print; not cursive
    scrawl, scribble
    write carelessly
    copy
    copy down as is
    impress, print
    reproduce by printing
    letter
    set down or print with letters
    recopy
    copy again
    set, typeset
    set in type
    prove
    take a trial impression of
    misprint
    print incorrectly
    offset
    produce by offset printing
    copy out
    copy very carefully and as accurately as possible
    overprint, print over
    print (additional text or colors) onto an already imprinted paper
    cyclostyle
    print with an implement with small toothed wheels that cuts small holes in a stencil
    boldface
    print in boldface
    italicise, italicize
    print in italics
    type of:
    delineate, describe, draw, line, trace
    make a mark or lines on a surface
  3. verb
    communicate or express by writing
    “Please write to me every week”
    Synonyms:
    drop a line
    communicate (with) in writing
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    types:
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    write in
    write to an organization
    style
    make consistent with certain rules of style
    apostrophise, apostrophize
    use an apostrophe
    rewrite
    write differently; alter the writing of
    sign, subscribe
    mark with one's signature; write one's name (on)
    type, typewrite
    write by means of a keyboard with types
    handwrite
    write by hand
    jot, jot down
    write briefly or hurriedly; write a short note of
    scrabble, scribble
    write down quickly without much attention to detail
    get down, put down, set down, write down
    put down in writing; of texts, musical compositions, etc.
    cut, issue, make out, write out
    make out and issue
    write up
    bring to public notice by writing, with praise or condemnation
    decipher, decode, decrypt
    convert code into ordinary language
    transcribe, transliterate
    rewrite in a different script
    transcribe
    make a phonetic transcription of
    transcribe
    write out from speech, notes, etc.
    notate
    put into notation, as of music or choreography
    revise
    make revisions in
    rubricate
    sign with a mark instead of a name
    shift
    use a shift key on a keyboard
    backspace
    hit the backspace key on a computer or typewriter keyboard
    double-space
    type with a full space between lines
    triple-space
    type with two empty spaces between lines
    touch-type
    type without looking at the keyboard
    dash down, dash off
    write down hastily
    note, take down
    make a written note of
    check
    write out a check on a bank account
    type of:
    communicate, intercommunicate
    transmit thoughts or feelings
  4. verb
    communicate by letter
    “He wrote that he would be coming soon”
    Synonyms:
    drop a line
    communicate (with) in writing
    see moresee less
    type of:
    communicate, intercommunicate
    transmit thoughts or feelings
  5. verb
    communicate (with) in writing
    Write her soon, please!”
    synonyms: drop a line
    see moresee less
    type of:
    correspond
    exchange messages
  6. verb
    record data on a computer
    “boot-up instructions are written on the hard disk”
    synonyms: save
    see moresee less
    types:
    overwrite
    write new data on top of existing data and thus erase the previously existing data
    type of:
    record, tape
    register electronically
  7. verb
    create code, write a computer program
    “She writes code faster than anybody else”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    create by mental act, create mentally
    create mentally and abstractly rather than with one's hands
  8. verb
    produce a literary work
    “He wrote four novels”
    synonyms: compose, indite, pen
    publish
    have (one's written work) issued for publication
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    types:
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    draw
    write a legal document or paper
    lyric
    write lyrics for (a song)
    write about, write of, write on
    write about a particular topic
    profile
    write about
    paragraph
    write paragraphs; work as a paragrapher
    paragraph
    write about in a paragraph
    write off
    write something fluently, and without hesitation
    dash off, fling off, knock off, scratch off, toss off
    write quickly
    rewrite
    rewrite so as to make fit to suit a new or different purpose
    write copy
    write for commercial publications
    adopt, dramatise, dramatize
    put into dramatic form
    draft, outline
    draw up an outline or sketch for something
    poetise, poetize, verse, versify
    compose verses or put into verse
    author
    be the author of
    annotate, footnote
    add explanatory notes to or supply with critical comments
    cite, reference
    refer to
    write out, write up
    put into writing; write in complete form
    script
    write a script for
    relyric
    write new lyrics for (a song)
    metrify
    compose in poetic meter
    spondaise, spondaize
    make spondaic
    elegise, elegize
    compose an elegy
    sonnet
    compose a sonnet
    co-author
    be a co-author on (a book, a paper)
    ghost, ghostwrite
    write for someone else
    type of:
    create verbally
    create with or from words
  9. verb
    have (one's written work) issued for publication
    “How many books did Georges Simenon write?”
    synonyms: publish
    compose, indite, pen
    produce a literary work
    see moresee less
    type of:
    create verbally
    create with or from words
  10. verb
    write music
    synonyms: compose
    see moresee less
    types:
    show 14 types...
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    counterpoint
    write in counterpoint
    set to music
    write (music) for (a text)
    arrange, set
    adapt for performance in a different way
    score
    write a musical score for
    melodise, melodize
    supply a melody for
    harmonise, harmonize
    write a harmony for
    instrument, instrumentate
    write an instrumental score for
    prearrange
    arrange beforehand
    put
    adapt
    transpose
    put (a piece of music) into another key
    reharmonise, reharmonize
    provide with a different harmony
    realise, realize
    expand or complete (a part in a piece of baroque music) by supplying the harmonies indicated in the figured bass
    orchestrate
    write an orchestra score for
    table, tabularise, tabularize, tabulate
    arrange or enter in tabular form
    type of:
    create, make
    make or cause to be or to become
Pronunciation
US

/raɪt/

UK

/raɪt/

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