arrearage

noun

ar·​rear·​age ə-ˈrir-ij 

1

: the condition of being in arrears

2

: something that is in arrears

especially : something unpaid and overdue

Synonyms

• arrears
• debt
• indebtedness
• liability
• liabilities
• obligation
• score

Examples of arrearage in a Sentence

the new buyer must pay the arrearage on the home before moving in

Recent Examples on the Web

Another major factor is the the arrearage forgiveness programs mandated by the General Assembly and the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority. —Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 17 Feb. 2024

The bills propose a residential affordability fund, which is estimated to collect $90 million within the first 18 months for bill discounts, administrative costs and arrearage payments, according to a bill analysis from the Senate Fiscal Agency. —Nushrat Rahman, Detroit Free Press, 6 Feb. 2024

Even then, water companies must choose to participate in the arrearage programs; those who don’t exclude their customers from financial aid. —Dorany Pineda, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2022

The GoFundMe was created with an initial goal of $20,000, to pay off the nearly $14,000 arrearage and put the extra funds toward some minor home repairs. —Endia Fontanez, The Arizona Republic, 29 May 2022

Last month, the Chase Lloyd House Board of Trustees, which oversees the mansion, approved a $24,000 grant from its endowment to help pay off rent arrearage for women living in Annapolis public housing. —Washington Post, 1 Dec. 2021

Money will come from a state water and wastewater arrearage payment program, administered by the California Water Resources Control Board, that will offer $985 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to pay for the debt. —Tammy Murga Reporter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Oct. 2021

Of the 5,800 cases resolved with payment by UniteCT, the average arrearage was just over four months’ rent, indications that most applicants continued to pay some rent during the moratorium. —Mark Pazniokas, courant.com, 2 Aug. 2021

Applicants were rejected for various reasons, Liu said, including not actually being past-due, providing no evidence that their arrearage was linked to COVID-19, or their landlord refused to provide supporting documentation. —Ron Hurtibise, sun-sentinel.com, 18 May 2021

Word History

Etymology

Middle English arrerage, arerage "unpaid debt, balance due, state of being behind in payment," borrowed from Anglo-French arrerage, from arere, arrere arrear + -age -age

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for arrearage

• peerage
• steerage

Legal Definition

arrearage

noun

ar·​rear·​age ə-ˈrir-ij 

1

: the condition of being in arrears

2

: something that is in arrears

especially : something unpaid and overdue : arrear

—often used in pl.

the Virginia court reduced the arrearages to a final judgment

—National Law Journal