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.
In a report earlier this year, a parliamentary committee noted competing opinions on the issue but recommended Canada "indefinitely exclude persons whose sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness" from assisted dying.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
We haven’t solved every problem, nor can agency action substitute indefinitely for a statutory framework passed by Congress, but we must do what we can.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 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
"Protection cannot be reduced indefinitely without systems collapsing," said Dominique Hyde, UNHCR's external relations chief.
From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026
He knew the morale of the communist forces was high and that they were prepared to fight indefinitely.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
