Meaning of write in English

write

verb

/raɪt/ uk

/raɪt/

wrote | written or old use writ

to make marks that represent letters, words, or numbers on a surface, such as paper or a computer screen, using a pen, pencil, or keyboard, or to use this method to record thoughts, facts, or messages:

When you fill out the form, please write clearly/legibly in black ink.

[ + speech ] "I hope to see you next Saturday," she wrote.

Why not write (down) your ideas on a piece of paper before you start?

A2 [ I or T ]

to send a letter or message to someone, giving them information or expressing your thoughts or feelings:

She hasn't written to me (US also written me) recently.

[ + two objects ] I wrote my sister a letter.

[ + to infinitive ] My mother wrote to give me details about the party.

[ + -ing verb ] The travel company has written giving information about the trip.

[ T ]

(also write something out)

to put all the information that is needed on a document:

Please will you write (out) your name and address in full.

[ + two objects ] I wrote him a check for $50.

B1 [ T ]

to create and record something, such as a book, poem, song, or computer program, on paper or on a computer:

She writes children's books/poems.

Adam designed and wrote the software.

He wrote music for movies and TV shows.

The book is very well written.

B1 [ I ]

to have the job of creating books, stories, or articles that will be published:

She writes for a national newspaper.

[ + that ]

to say something in a book, newspaper, magazine, or document:

In the article, he writes that the problems in the refugee camps are getting worse.

[ I ] computing specialized

to record information in the memory of a computer:

There was a problem writing to the disk in the A drive.

More examplesFewer examples

Please write in ink, not in pencil.
He wrote a letter of thanks to the hospital.
He writes in a formal and rather stilted style.
I've written twice and received no reply, so I might change tack and call her.
She sat at her desk writing letters.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Writing & typing

See more results »

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Communicating & keeping in touch

Operating computers

Idioms

nothing to write home about
written all over someone's face
written in the stars

Phrasal verbs

write back
write something down
write in
write someone in
write something into something
write something off
write someone/something off
write off/away for something
write someone out of something
write something up

More phrasal verbs

write someone up

(Definition of write from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

write | Intermediate English

write

verb [ I/T ]

/rɑɪt/

past tense wrote us/roʊt/ | past participle written us/ˈrɪt·ən/

write verb [I/T] (CREATE)

Add to word list Add to word list

to create something for other people to read or use, such as a book, poem, letter, or piece of music:

[ T ] to write a poem/a story/a textbook

[ T ] They wrote some of the best songs of the 70s.

[ T ] They have written computer software to handle our sales records.

[ T ] Hammond wrote a letter to his mother/wrote his mother a letter.

[ I ] He writes well and is always a pleasure to read.

To write is also to put letters, words, numbers, or symbols on a paper, screen, or other surface using a pen, pencil, keyboard (= the keys of a computer), etc.:

[ T ] Please write your name on the dotted line.

Someone whose job is to write creates articles, stories, or books to be published:

[ I ] She writes for the New York Times.

To write also means to express an idea or opinion in an article, book, etc.:

[ + that clause ] He writes that our highways are getting safer.

Phrasal verbs

write down something
write in
write in someone
write off something
write off someone/something
write out something
write up something/someone

(Definition of write from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

write | Business English

write

verb

/raɪt/ us

wrote | written

Add to word list Add to word list

[ I or T ]

to put letters, numbers or symbols on a piece of paper or a computer screen, using a pen, pencil or keyboard:

Write your name and address on the form.

The negative figures were written in red.

[ I or T ]

to create a document in order to supply information or communicate with someone:

He wrote a letter of complaint to the Customer Services Department.

A report written by the finance committee made several cost-cutting recommendations.

written communication/confirmation/statement

[ T ]

(also write sth out)

to put all the necessary information on a form:

They wrote me a cheque for $5,000 in compensation.

[ T ] INSURANCE

to provide insurance:

The bank does not write its own insurance but offers building and contents cover through a third party.

[ T ] IT

to record data in the memory of a computer or a disk:

write sth to sth The file failed to write to disk because it was too large.

[ T ] IT

to create a computer program:

The computer package was specially written for market research purposes.

Phrasal verbs

write sth back
write sth down
write sth into sth
write sth off
write sb/sth off
write sth up

(Definition of write from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of write

write

All they can do is write you a check.

From Huffington Post

And it's not because there's nothing to write about.

From Slate Magazine

Writing a book makes you an expert in the field.

From TechCrunch

I always write every day, and that made it a little easier.

From NPR

I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article.

From TIME

And this guy goes off and writes a book about me, like he knows me!

From Huffington Post

We had long talks when we were writing this thing, worked on it together.

From Huffington Post

One of the best books of 2010 was written more than 100 years ago.

From OregonLive.com

I'm writing my next thing, and the plan is to direct, and we'll just see.

From The Verge

It was really nice to write that and record that.

From Huffington Post

I don't write for children of this age.

From NPR

I don't write characters and base them on a person.

From NPR

The same could be said of the woman who wrote that.

From NPR

So we have a way to pass the bill as written and pay for it completely.

From USA TODAY

They would write a lot, and try to have their ideas included in books and movies.

From The Atlantic

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

What is the pronunciation of write?

A1,A2,B1,B1

Translations of write

in Chinese (Traditional)

寫，書寫, 寫（字）, （給…）寫信…

in Chinese (Simplified)

写，书写, 写（字）, （给…）写信…

in Spanish

escribir, extender, traspasar…

in Portuguese

escrever, escrever (a), compor…

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लिहिणे, तयार करणे…

～を書く, （人に）手紙を書く, （小説など）を書く…

yazmak, yazıya dökmek, kitap/hikaye/makale/şarkı sözü vb. yazmak…

écrire, rédiger, composer…

escriure…

schrijven…

பேனா, பென்சில் அல்லது விசைப்பலகையைப் பயன்படுத்தி காகிதம் அல்லது கணினித் திரை போன்ற மேற்பரப்பில் எழுத்துக்கள், வார்த்தைகள் அல்லது எண்களைக் குறிக்கும் குறிகளை உருவாக்குதல் அல்லது எண்ணங்கள்…

लिखना, किसी को चिट्ठी या संदेश लिखना, किसी चीज़…

લખવું, લખાણ, પત્ર લખવો…

skrive…

skriva…

menulis, mengarang, menggubah…

schreiben…