open question

British  

noun

1. a matter which is undecided

2. a question that cannot be answered with a yes or no but requires a developed answer

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open question Idioms  

1. An unresolved issue, one that has not been finally determined. For example, Whether the town should pave all the unpaved roads remains an open question. In the mid-1800s this term acquired a specific meaning in the British Parliament, that is, “an issue on which members may vote independently, without respect to their party affiliation.”

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Example Sentences

One open question is whether Jupiter formed where it currently orbits or whether it migrated over time.

From Science Daily

Addressing a Senate committee Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said it is an open question what would happen if Khamenei were removed and the regime fell.

From The Wall Street Journal

“An open question, however, is whether caregiving for grandchildren may also benefit grandparents themselves. In this research, we wanted to see if providing grandchild care might benefit grandparents' health, potentially slowing down cognitive decline.”

From Science Daily

“The open question now, given the guidance, is whether the rate normalization cycle starts with a 25 or a 50 basis points” cut, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Weight-loss medication has recently been tested for halting cognitive decline in early phases of Alzheimer's disease, but with no beneficial effect. An open question that remains to be tested is if weight-loss medication initiated before the appearance of cognitive symptoms may be protective against dementia. Our present data would suggest that early weight-loss interventions would prevent dementia, and especially vascular-related dementia," she continued.

From Science Daily