noncommittal
Americanadjective
adjective
-
not involving or revealing commitment to any particular opinion or course of action
a noncommittal reply
-
rare having no outstanding quality, meaning, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of noncommittal
Explanation
When you want to keep all your options open, stay noncommittal. This means you say "maybe" and "I'll see if I can do that," rather than making promises to do specific things. It’s pretty easy to figure out the meaning of noncommittal just by picking apart the word. The non- prefix means “not.” And you see the word commit in noncommittal. So you know that the word is going to have something to do with “not commit.” You might also recognize the suffix -al, which is a tip-off that this word is an adjective that means "not being willing to commit."
Vocabulary lists containing noncommittal
Anti-Antonyms: Words Without Opposites
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "N"
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And Then There Were None
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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.
“RSVP as early as possible, be honest without being rude, and be clear that you won’t be attending rather than acting noncommittal and ultimately sending a last-minute ‘no’ anyway.”
From MarketWatch • Jul. 7, 2026
In a book to be published Tuesday, “Poisoned Ivies,” Ms. Stefanik recalls formulating the question only after the three presidents had spent hours offering evasive, noncommittal answers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
Exor should net over $1 billion this year from the sale of Iveco, a maker of commercial vehicles, giving it more cash to buy back stock, though the company was noncommittal on buybacks in September.
From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026
In his most recent remarks on the subject, Hegseth was noncommittal on the subject, saying: "We're reviewing the process, and we'll see."
From BBC • Dec. 9, 2025
I strove to look stern, thoughtful, and noncommittal all at once.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
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.
