unmarried

A neutral, factual descriptor used primarily in legal, administrative, or formal contexts to denote a person's marital status. It focuses on the absence of a legal marriage contract rather than personal lifestyle choices. Unlike "single," which can imply a social state (being unattached or available for dating) or a feeling of loneliness, "unmarried" is clinical and objective. You will find it on government forms, census data, and in legal documents. While "single" is common in casual conversation ("I am single"), using "unmarried" in social settings can sound stiff or overly formal. It describes a status rather than an identity.