indefinitely
Americanadverb
-
without any imposed limit in time; from now on, for an unspecified period; without a specified end.
-
in a vague or nonspecific way; without identifying any particulars.
adverb
Explanation
Use the adverb indefinitely to describe something that happens for an unlimited amount of time or to an unlimited extent. Kittens could bat around a ball of string indefinitely. When your cousin postpones her wedding indefinitely after her fiancé’s “business trip” to Las Vegas, you probably want to hold off on buying a gift. They may work things out, but sometimes people intend indefinitely to be synonymous with forever. Like, “We can’t keep fighting over that weekend I spent in Las Vegas indefinitely…”
Vocabulary lists containing indefinitely
Holes
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"Curtis Aikens and the American Dream" and "Go For It!"
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Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Sources with knowledge of the investigation have expressed concerns that Hassan's arrangement with the US could continue indefinitely, at significant expense but with little gain.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
Classes for some 1.6 million public-school students were due to start in early September but have been postponed indefinitely, as teachers regularly take to the streets to protest over unmet demands.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
The Kennedy Center closed its doors indefinitely on Sept. 15 after an inspection found acute public safety concerns, among them roofing issues.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026
Large inventories have enabled Beijing to substitute for imports and reduce purchases sharply, though that can’t continue indefinitely.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026
As long as the Mona Lisa did not stay on the high seas indefinitely, it would be found.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
