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
Bernstein analyst Madison Rezaei initially flagged the possibility of such a risk to neoclouds in a March note, likening CoreWeave’s business model to a “situationship,” or a noncommittal romantic entanglement.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026
Publicly, many countries have been noncommittal to such an escort mission until hostilities cease, given the risks involved, including Iran’s placement of mines in the strait.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 15, 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
She looked at Zooey, possibly for corroboration, but Zooey’s expression, behind his cigar, was noncommittal.
From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger
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.
