undetermined

adjective

un·​de·​ter·​mined ˌən-di-ˈtər-mənd How to pronounce undetermined (audio)
-dē-
Synonyms of undeterminednext
: not definitely or authoritatively decided, settled, or identified : not determined
an undetermined boundary
an undetermined species
at an as yet undetermined time
an undetermined number of people

Synonyms of undetermined

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of undetermined in a Sentence

an undetermined form seen only from a distance the fate of the prisoners is still undetermined
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Seemingly little care was taken to rebury the bodies whole; an ossuary pit with an undetermined number of bones was also identified under that same patch of grass. — Victoria Davies, Rolling Stone, 31 Aug. 2026 At the time, the amount Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, would have to pay remained undetermined. — Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 Despite extensive investigation, the manner in which the COVID-19 pandemic started is yet undetermined. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Aug. 2026 Her exact cause of death remains undetermined, pending toxicology results which could take up to eight weeks. — Krystie Lee Yandoli, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for undetermined

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of undetermined was in the 15th century

Rhymes for undetermined

See All Rhymes for undetermined

Browse Nearby Words

undeterminate
undetermined
undeterred
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Undetermined.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undetermined. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All