outstanding checks

USAGE SUMMARY

"outstanding checks" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It refers to checks that have been written but have not yet been cashed or deposited by the recipient. Example: The company's accountant reminded them to reconcile their bank statement, as there were still several outstanding checks that needed to be accounted for.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Meanwhile, under the order, Mr. Scrushy was allowed a maximum of $200,000 to pay outstanding checks, personal employees and insurance premiums.

The New York Times

Keep enough in your old account to cover any outstanding checks or automatic payments.

HuffPost

Just as with outstanding checks, be sure to keep enough money in the old account to cover any electronic payments you need to make before the new bank account is up and running.

Huffington Post

Glendale doesn't typically post a list of outstanding checks on a consistent basis, but a recent uptick in public records requests for the information prompted officials to do so.

Los Angeles Times

Debit all outstanding checks.

WikiHow

Record any outstanding checks issued from the account by subtracting the amount from the bank statement balance.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

To claim an outstanding check, recipients must fill out a form on the city's website.

Los Angeles Times

And the majority of jurisdictions exclude evidence obtained from individuals whom police stopped solely to check for outstanding arrest warrants.

Cornell University

The decision may affect how police check for outstanding arrest warrants and how judges balance Fourth Amendment protections with admitting relevant evidence.

Cornell University

Under the new procedure, low level offenders are jailed overnight, instead of being taken to a precinct house, checked for outstanding arrest warrants and issued a desk appearance ticket that requires them to appear later in court.

The New York Times

But by the time the defendants were arraigned, several criminal defense lawyers said, their clients had already spent half a day or more in custody, being fingerprinted, strip-searched and checked for possible outstanding arrest warrants.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When reconciling bank statements, always verify the list of "outstanding checks" against your own records to ensure accuracy.

Common error

Avoid using "outstanding checks" when you actually mean checks that have bounced due to insufficient funds. "Outstanding checks" are simply those that haven't cleared yet, not necessarily problematic ones.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "outstanding checks" functions as a noun phrase, typically used as an object or complement within a sentence. As Ludwig AI explains, it refers to checks that have been written but not yet cashed. Examples show it used in financial and legal contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

33%

Formal & Business

17%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "outstanding checks" refers to checks that have been issued but not yet cashed or deposited. According to Ludwig AI, this is a correct and usable phrase, primarily used in financial contexts. While the phrase is not exceptionally common, it is well-understood and essential for accurate accounting and bank reconciliation. The phrase is mainly found in News & Media. Remember to distinguish "outstanding checks" from bounced checks to avoid confusion, and always verify records during bank reconciliations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

uncleared checks

Focuses on the clearance status of the checks.

unpresented checks

Emphasizes that the checks have not yet been presented for payment.

pending checks

Highlights that the checks are awaiting processing.

unpaid checks

Directly states that the checks have not been paid.

checks outstanding

A slightly reordered version of the original phrase.

remaining checks

Indicates that these checks are left to be processed or cleared.

outstanding payments by check

Specifies that the payments are made via check and are still outstanding.

checks in transit

Implies checks are in the process of being cleared but haven't yet.

unsettled checks

Highlights that the checks have not yet been settled or finalized.

open checks

Suggests that the checks are still open and haven't been closed out.

FAQs

What are "outstanding checks"?

"Outstanding checks" are checks that a company or individual has written but have not yet been cashed or deposited by the recipient, therefore not yet cleared by the bank.

How do I account for "outstanding checks" in bank reconciliation?

You need to subtract the amount of "outstanding checks" from the bank statement balance when performing bank reconciliation to match your book balance.

What is another way to say "outstanding checks"?

You can use alternatives like "uncleared checks" or "unpresented checks" depending on the context.

What's the difference between "outstanding checks" and "returned checks"?

"Outstanding checks" are simply not yet cashed, while returned checks (also known as bounced checks) are checks that the bank has refused to pay because of insufficient funds.