undocumented

American  

[uhn-dok-yuh-men-tid] / ʌnˈdɒk yəˌmɛn tɪd /

adjective

1. lacking documentation or authentication.

2. lacking proper immigration or working papers: undocumented immigrants.

   an undocumented worker;

   undocumented immigrants.

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Sensitive Note

See illegal alien.

Etymology

Origin of undocumented

First recorded in 1880–85; un- ¹ + documented ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does undocumented compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• undocumented vs. illegal

Explanation

When something is undocumented, it's not written down or recorded. When a person is undocumented. they don't have the proper records or identification that the law requires. These days in the U.S., you're very likely to come across this word in the context of immigration. When you hear about someone who's an undocumented worker or an undocumented immigrant, it means that they were born in another country, moved to the U.S. at some point, and don't currently have the legal documentation they need to work, attend school, or otherwise live freely and openly.

Example Sentences

On the eve of the vote, frontrunner Keiko Fujimori told AFP she would "restore order" in her first 100 days by sending the army into prisons, deporting undocumented migrants and strengthening borders.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

But he has also supported a pathway to citizenship for lawful, working undocumented people and told his constituents that his deputies were not taking part in ICE raids.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Its unusual body structure highlights just how diverse termite species can be and points to how many organisms in tropical environments remain undocumented.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

Greece, along with Italy, receives a large number of undocumented migrants via the Mediterranean, often from nearby Turkey and northern Africa.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

She also got a job at a government minister’s office, which was rare for an undocumented immigrant, but she had impressed her employers at the interview.

From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana