Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Not known or established; questionable.
- adjective Not determined; undecided.
- adjective Not having sure knowledge.
- adjective Subject to change; variable.
- adjective Unsteady; fitful.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To make or cause to be uncertain.
- Not certain; doubtful.
- Not known as regards quantity or extent; indefinite; problematical: as, an uncertain number of independent voters; a person of uncertain age.
- Having doubts; without certain knowledge; not sure.
- Not sure as to aim or effect desired.
- Unreliable; insecure; not to be depended on.
- Not firm or fixed; vague; indeterminate in nature; fluctuating.
- Undecided; hesitating; not resolved.
- Not steady; fitful.
- Liable to change; fickle; inconstant; capricious; irresolute.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb obsolete To make uncertain.
- adjective Not certain; not having certain knowledge; not assured in mind; distrustful.
- adjective Irresolute; inconsonant; variable; untrustworthy.
- adjective Questionable; equivocal; indefinite; problematical.
- adjective Not sure; liable to fall or err; fallible.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective not
known forcertain ;questionable - adjective not
yet determined ;undecided - adjective
variable andsubject tochange - adjective
fitful orunsteady - adjective
unpredictable orcapricious
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective not established or confirmed
- adjective not established beyond doubt; still undecided or unknown
- adjective ambiguous (especially in the negative)
- adjective subject to change
- adjective not certain to occur; not inevitable
- adjective not consistent or dependable
- adjective lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word uncertain.
Examples
-
Analysts were reluctant to make predictions beyond one month because of what they described as an uncertain economic outlook given the central bank's ongoing efforts to tame inflation and as a string of interest-rate increases and other measures begin to bite.
Growth Worries to Plague Chinese Shares Andrew Galbraith 2011
-
Most advanced economies are planning "significant fiscal adjustment" this year in what he described as an "uncertain economic environment."
IMF Deputy Says Japan Can Learn From Euro Crisis Kelly Olsen 2012
-
Kroger Co. reported its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings fell 27% on higher costs and offered a cautious outlook for the year amid what it described as the uncertain pace of economic recovery and tough price competition.
Kroger Offers Cautious Outlook Tess Stynes 2010
-
Kroger Co. reported its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings fell 27% on higher costs and offered a cautious outlook for the year amid what it described as the uncertain pace of economic recovery and tough price competition.
Kroger Offers Cautious Outlook Tess Stynes 2010
-
Kroger Co. reported its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings fell 27% on higher costs and offered a cautious outlook for the year amid what it described as the uncertain pace of economic recovery and tough price competition.
Kroger Offers Cautious Outlook Tess Stynes 2010
-
Then he paused and drew back, his expression uncertain.
City of Glass Cassandra Clare 2009
-
Then he paused and drew back, his expression uncertain.
Cassandra Clare: The Mortal Instrument Series Cassandra Clare 2009
-
He seemed at times to assume he already had won the nomination, repeatedly using his questions to direct fire not at his rivals but at President Obama for what he called uncertain and even dangerous leadership.
USATODAY.com News 2012
-
Many high school teachers remain uncertain who is right about letting into AP, IB or
High schoolers barred from college-level courses Jay Mathews 2010
-
We are living in uncertain times, that is for sure.
Paso devaluation? 2009
brtom commented on the word uncertain
Mr Dedalus, peering through his glasses towards the veiled sun, hurled a mute curse at the sky.
-- It's as uncertain as a child's bottom, he said.
Joyce, Ulysses, 6
January 1, 2007
treeseed commented on the word uncertain
a town in Texas, USA
February 27, 2008