unwed
Lacking a spouse
Unwed means not married.
The word appears most often in unwed mother, a phrase that once carried strong stigma but now sounds dated as single parenthood has become common.
Unwed is slightly formal; unmarried is more neutral, and single is the everyday term.
Not joined or connected
- availableReady to be used
- eligibleMeeting required conditions
- bachelorUnwed male adult
- bacheloretteUnmarried woman
spinster · maiden · singleton · unpartnered · partnerless · mateless · spouseless · solo
Able to provide independently
- autonomousSelf-directed and free
- self-sufficientAble to provide independently
- liberatedReleased from confinement
- empoweredGiven power to act
self-determined · self-supporting · unfettered · unconstrained · self-directed · self-possessed · freedom · unbound
Born to unmarried parents
- illegitimateNot authorized or recognized
- love-childChild of unmarried parents
- cohabitingSharing a residence unmarried
- paternityMale parent status
Official population count
- cohabitationDwelling together unmarried
- common-lawLegal status through custom
- never-marriedWithout matrimonial history
- pre-maritalBefore being wed
unattached
Not joined or connected
bachelorette · spinster · maiden · singleton · unpartnered · partnerless · mateless · spouseless · solo · uncoupled
self-reliant
Able to provide independently
- autonomousSelf-directed and free
- self-sufficientAble to provide independently
- liberatedReleased from confinement
empowered · self-determined · self-supporting · unfettered · unconstrained · self-directed · self-possessed · freedom · unbound · untethered
out-of-wedlock
Born to unmarried parents
- illegitimateNot authorized or recognized
- love-childChild of unmarried parents
- cohabitingSharing a residence unmarried
census
Official population count
- cohabitationDwelling together unmarried
- common-lawLegal status through custom
- never-marriedWithout matrimonial history
- relationship statussingle, married, divorced, engaged, separated
- singlessingle, bachelor, bachelorette, singleton, unattached