[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/arrears/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [A](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/a/) / arrears

# arrears

noun, plural (arrears)

«arrears» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Money that is owed and should have been paid already: rent arrears. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arrears/#m1)
2. In arrears: late with payments that are owed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arrears/#m2)
3. Paid in arrears: paid at the end of a period of work, not at the start. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arrears/#m3)

### In the lessons

A formal money word in news, letters and exam problems; in maths it means the amount still owed and not yet paid. Phrases: in arrears, rent arrears, fall into arrears, pay off the arrears, paid in arrears.

### Examples

- The family fell into arrears with the rent. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arrears/#x1)
- (formal) The club is two months in arrears with its payments. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arrears/#x2)
- He paid off all his arrears by the summer. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arrears/#x3)
- Workers are paid monthly in arrears, at the end of each month. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arrears/#x4)
- If the rent is 500 dollars a month and two months are unpaid, the arrears are 1,000 dollars. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arrears/#x5)
- The letter said the electricity bill was in arrears. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arrears/#x6)

### Note

Always plural, with no singular form: "the arrears are". Formal. "In arrears" means behind with paying. In maths, arrears = amount owed minus amount paid so far.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «arrears» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arrears/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«arrears» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/arrears.html) on Mova free.