open-ended

[oh-puhn-en-did]

adjective

1. not having fixed limits; unrestricted; broad.

   an open-ended discussion.

2. allowing for future changes, revisions, or additions.

   open-ended agreements.

3. having no fixed answer.

   an open-ended question.

open-ended

adjective

1. without definite limits, as of duration or amount

   an open-ended contract

2. denoting a question, esp one on a questionnaire, that cannot be answered "yes", "no", or "don't know"

Other Word Forms

• open-endedness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of open-ended¹

First recorded in 1815–25; open + end ¹ + -ed ³

Example Sentences

“Starting November 24, we are taking the extraordinary step of proactively removing the ability for users under 18 in the U.S. to engage in open-ended chats with AI on our platform.”

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The union representing Starbucks baristas launched an open-ended strike at stores in more than 40 cities on Thursday, coinciding with Red Cup Day, one of the coffee giant’s most lucrative sales days of the year.

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“Credit default swaps remedied the problem of open-ended risk for me,” said Burry.

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"The devil is in the details," he said, explaining that many previous studies rely on open-ended questions, a method known as spontaneous reporting.

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They call this “textualism,” which rejects a more liberal and open-ended approach that included the general purpose of the law.

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Related Words

• unlimited 
• unrestricted