uninstructed

[uhn-in-struhk-tid]

adjective

1. not instructed; uninformed; uneducated.

2. (of a person acting in a representative capacity) not furnished with orders on how to proceed or vote; uncommitted.

   uninstructed convention delegates.

Other Word Forms

• uninstructedly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of uninstructed¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; un- ¹ + instruct + -ed ²

Example Sentences

By the end of the presidential primary races in June, the movement had amassed over 750,000 "uncommitted," "uninstructed" or "no preference" votes, including write-in and blank-ballot protests in states without such options.

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For instance, more than 48,000 voted “uninstructed” in the Wisconsin Democratic primary in early April, which outpaced the roughly 20,700 votes by which Biden outpaced Trump in the battleground state four years ago.

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In Wisconsin, a crucial swing state, they can choose a similar label, “uninstructed,” to show concern.

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All four states have multiple candidates on the ballot, and three of them also have an option to vote for “uncommitted” or “uninstructed delegate.”

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And a “Leave It Blank” campaign has formed for Georgia’s Tuesday primary that’s intended to have the same effect, as is a “uninstructed” vote in Wisconsin’s April 2 primary.

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