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noncommittal

[non-kuh-mit-l]
adjective
  1. not committing oneself, or not involving committal, to a particular view, course, or the like: The senator gave us a noncommittal answer.
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Origin of noncommittal

An Americanism dating back to 1820–30; non- + committal
Related formsnon·com·mit·tal·ly, adverb

Synonyms

indefinite, vague, equivocal, evasive, guarded.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for noncommittally

Historical Examples

  • "Maybe," replied Berwick noncommittally, with a slight shrug of his shoulders.

    Frontier Boys in Frisco

    Wyn Roosevelt

  • "Everything about us is wonderful," the Belphin said noncommittally.

    The Blue Tower

    Evelyn E. Smith

  • "O, a little of everything," said the Codfish noncommittally.

  • Dixon got him with a phosphorus bomb, Reinhart said noncommittally.

    The Variable Man

    Philip K. Dick

  • "I have nothing whatever to say," he remarked, noncommittally.

    Kilo

    Ellis Parker Butler

British Dictionary definitions for noncommittally

noncommittal

adjective
  1. not involving or revealing commitment to any particular opinion or course of actiona noncommittal reply
  2. rare having no outstanding quality, meaning, etc
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012