arrear
noun
ar·rear ə-ˈrir 
1
: the state of being behind in the discharge of obligations —usually used in plural
They were in arrears with the rent. [=they had failed to pay the rent when it was due]
2
a
: an unfinished duty —usually used in plural
arrears of work that have piled up
b
: an unpaid and overdue debt —usually used in plural
paying off the arrears of the past several months
Synonyms
- arrearage
- debt
- indebtedness
- liability
- liabilities
- obligation
- score
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web China appears to be up to date in its payments; there are no amounts in arrears from prior years on WHO's report. 
Fox News, 11 Apr. 2020 The country has virtually no arrears pending to the IMF. Golnar Motevalli, Bloomberg.com, 12 Mar. 2020 Zimbabwe, locked out of outbreak aid programs because of debt arrears, has thrown itself at the mercy of organizations including the International Monetary Fund with no response so far. Bloomberg.com, 7 Feb. 2020 Or, your loan could be recalculated and the arrears added to the loan balance, which might make your monthly payments go up.■ A repayment plan. Michelle Singletary, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Apr. 2020 Eligible customers would receive a $25 monthly credit toward current water bills with any arrears suspended for one to two years. Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 24 Mar. 2020 Somewhere between the case of an isolated bankruptcy (American Airlines) and mass default (Indonesia, with 70% of businesses in arrears) is the borderline between individual and systemic bankruptcy. Peter Coy, Bloomberg.com, 28 Apr. 2020 Gasoline taxes are collected two months in arrears and expected to drop 20-25 percent. Lee Roop | Lroop@al.com, al, 26 Apr. 2020 Currently, the service department and some part-timers are paid two weeks in arrears. John Benson, cleveland, 20 Apr. 2020 See More
Fox News, 11 Apr. 2020 The country has virtually no arrears pending to the IMF. Golnar Motevalli, Bloomberg.com, 12 Mar. 2020 Zimbabwe, locked out of outbreak aid programs because of debt arrears, has thrown itself at the mercy of organizations including the International Monetary Fund with no response so far. Bloomberg.com, 7 Feb. 2020 Or, your loan could be recalculated and the arrears added to the loan balance, which might make your monthly payments go up.■ A repayment plan. Michelle Singletary, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Apr. 2020 Eligible customers would receive a $25 monthly credit toward current water bills with any arrears suspended for one to two years. Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 24 Mar. 2020 Somewhere between the case of an isolated bankruptcy (American Airlines) and mass default (Indonesia, with 70% of businesses in arrears) is the borderline between individual and systemic bankruptcy. Peter Coy, Bloomberg.com, 28 Apr. 2020 Gasoline taxes are collected two months in arrears and expected to drop 20-25 percent. Lee Roop | Lroop@al.com, al, 26 Apr. 2020 Currently, the service department and some part-timers are paid two weeks in arrears. John Benson, cleveland, 20 Apr. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, in plural arrers, arrears "balance due, unpaid debt," borrowed from Anglo-French arere, arrere (also sometimes in plural) "state of being behind in payment," noun derivative of arere, ariere, adverb, "back, backward, behind" (also continental Old French), going back to Vulgar Latin *ad retrō, from Latin ad "to, toward" + retrō "toward the rear, in the rear, behind" — more at at entry 1, retro-
First Known Use
1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Legal Definition
arrear
noun
ar·rear ə-ˈrir
1
a
: the condition of being behind in one's duties or especially financial obligations —usually used in pl.
in arrears with the rent
b
: the condition of being due at the end of a term rather than the beginning —usually used in pl.
mortgage payments are made in arrears
2
: an unpaid and overdue debt —usually used in pl.
paying off the arrears of the previous owners