uncertainty
Americannoun
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uncertainties
plural
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the state of being uncertain; doubt; hesitancy.
His uncertainty gave impetus to his inquiry.
- Synonyms:
- ambivalence, indecision, irresolution, hesitation
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an instance of uncertainty, doubt, etc.
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unpredictability; indeterminacy; indefiniteness.
noun
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Also called: uncertainness. the state or condition of being uncertain
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an uncertain matter, contingency, etc
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of uncertainty
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English uncerteynte; equivalent to un- 1 + certainty
Explanation
When you have uncertainty, that means you're not really sure. If you missed a lot of classes and didn't study much, you may have uncertainty about whether you passed your big math test. The noun uncertainty describes a state of doubt. You might view with uncertainty a claim that a $100 investment will return $500 by next month. Uncertainty can also involve being dependent on chance. Your uncle might have uncertainty that he'll have a job next year because his company might be closing one of its branch offices.
Vocabulary lists containing uncertainty
"A Job for Valentin" and "In the Heart of a Hero"
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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.
See Examples For:
The travel disruptions were also creating uncertainty for LAX travelers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
That means they will all have a degree of uncertainty in the dugout, while Arsenal have the benefit of continuity as Mikel Arteta remains in charge.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
There is uncertainty over how De Zerbi will line up, and Senesi is at risk of being benched given Tottenham's depth at centre-back.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
He entered the race in May, injecting uncertainty into a contest that had long appeared to be Hichilema's to lose.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
“Is it something to do with the uncertainty principle?”
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
"It all depends on what the outcome is as there are so many uncertainties of how this could look like," Spors said.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Shares of Foxconn have rebounded from a first-quarter slump as investors shrugged off geopolitical uncertainties and focused on soaring demand for AI hardware, driven by hyperscalers’ massive investments in recent months.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
But the EPA’s longstanding techniques already accounted for these uncertainties.
From Slate ● Aug. 2, 2026
But there are still uncertainties with this approach, said Max Warner from the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
The conversations no longer ended in reassuring laughter, and the living room often seemed clouded with uncertainties, with unfinished knowledge, as if they all knew something would happen and yet did not know what.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
