open-ended
Americanadjective
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not having fixed limits; unrestricted; broad.
an open-ended discussion.
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allowing for future changes, revisions, or additions.
open-ended agreements.
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having no fixed answer.
an open-ended question.
adjective
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without definite limits, as of duration or amount
an open-ended contract
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denoting a question, esp one on a questionnaire, that cannot be answered "yes", "no", or "don't know"
Other Word Forms
- open-endedness noun
Etymology
Origin of open-ended
Explanation
Something that's open-ended doesn't have a specific end date or time. You might buy an open-ended plane ticket to Rome if you're not sure when — or if — you'll want to come home. Things that are limitless, or that have no restrictions or restraints, can be called open-ended. An open-ended lease on a apartment doesn't end on a specific day, and an open-ended babysitting job would be somewhat casual, rather than a regular, reliable job. Open-ended questions are complicated ones — they can't be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." The adjective open-ended has been in use since the mid-1800s.
Vocabulary lists containing open-ended
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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Engineering - Introductory
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Engineering: Defining Problems and Designing Solutions - Introductory
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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.
But curiosity and open-ended questions are powerful; they open people up.
From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026
Such walkouts frequently have a beginning and end date, but Local 99’s strike would be open-ended — which means school would be indefinitely closed by the three-union solidarity walkout.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
The blockade shifts the six-week conflict to an open-ended campaign to police the strait, risking a high-stakes battle with Iran.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
The move opens a volatile new phase in the six-week conflict, shifting from punishing strikes on military targets to an open-ended campaign to police the strait.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
When you travel like I did, vague about destination and with an open-ended itinerary, a holy-seeming openness takes over your character.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
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.
