indeterminate
adjective
Did you know?
When you determine something, you decide on what it is, which means you put limits or boundaries on its identity. So something indeterminate lacks identifying limits. A mutt is usually the product of indeterminate breeding, since at least the father's identity is generally a mystery. A painting of indeterminate origins is normally less valued than one with the painter's name on it. And if negotiations are left in an indeterminate state, nothing has been decided.
Examples of indeterminate in a Sentence
Ilana Masad, The Atlantic, 11 Apr. 2024
Don’t tell my furry friend of indeterminate origin and mysterious heritage, but French Bulldogs are the most popular dog breed in the United States, according to American Kennel Club rankings released Wednesday.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 21 Mar. 2024
Her most characteristic tone is beguilingly indeterminate: a new kind of song pleasure, mixing distance and intimacy.
—Elizabeth Barber, Harper's Magazine, 2 Feb. 2024
Jonathan Betts shared his unlikely discovery — more than 20 bones of an at-first indeterminate mammal — with his followers on TikTok, and his videos have since garnered nearly 1.5 million views.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 22 Jan. 2024
Rather than a potent cacophony of indeterminate extractions that build a solid wall of bitter, nonalcoholic bitters are mellow, with more discernible notes.
—Allison Robicelli, Washington Post, 3 Jan. 2024
Their narrator, Joseph, is of indeterminate and changeable age, generally a young boy or a teen-ager.
—Kathryn Schulz, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2023
On the other hand, Meredith Marks losing the Award for Colloquial Excellence doesn’t augur well for Napoleon, as the voting public doesn’t appear to be that into indeterminate Europeanish accents.
—Vulture, 6 Nov. 2023
Kids have been locked alone in a cell here more often than other facilities in the state, sometimes as punishment, and sometimes for an indeterminate length of time.
—Paige Pfleger, ProPublica, 16 Nov. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'indeterminate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near indeterminate
Cite this Entry
“Indeterminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indeterminate. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
indeterminate
adjective
Medical Definition
indeterminate
adjective
Share