inconclusive
Americanadjective
-
not conclusive; not resolving fully all doubts or questions.
inconclusive evidence.
-
without final results or outcome.
inconclusive experiments.
adjective
Other Word Forms
- inconclusively adverb
- inconclusiveness noun
Etymology
Origin of inconclusive
First recorded in 1680–90; in- 3 + conclusive
Explanation
If something's inconclusive, that means it doesn't lead to a conclusion or a resolution. Inconclusive often describes scientific results. If your data about a flu outbreak is inconclusive, then your results don't prove anything. A good way to remember the meaning of inconclusive is to look at the root word conclusive, which means "definitive, decisive, and convincing." When you add in- — which means "not" — to the front of conclusive, you get a word that means "not definitive." When something's inconclusive, it doesn't resolve your questions and leaves room for debate. If you're a detective, the last thing you want to hear is that your evidence is inconclusive.
Vocabulary lists containing inconclusive
Case Closed: Clud, Clus
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Vocabulary from "Stop Expecting Games to Build Empathy" by Julie Muncy
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The Double Helix
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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.
Compass Therapeutics shares cratered 65% after trial design flaws rendered its cancer drug’s survival data inconclusive.
From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026
A post-mortem examination proved "inconclusive," but pathologists said the injuries on his body were "too minor" to have resulted in his death.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
A leadership change and inconclusive evidence of artificial-intelligence momentum left Adobe investors with more questions than answers after Thursday’s earnings report.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 13, 2026
Independent polling has painted an inconclusive picture about which Democratic candidate would be more competitive in November.
From Salon • Mar. 2, 2026
Lazear had read Finlay’s paper and thought his experiments, while clearly inconclusive, showed promise and should be carried out more fully.
From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy
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.
