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

Character.AI, a platform for creating and chatting with artificial intelligence chatbots, plans to start blocking minors from having “open-ended” conversations with its virtual characters.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Character.AI cited "recent news reports raising questions" from regulators and safety experts about content exposure and the broader impact of open-ended AI interactions on teenagers as driving factors behind its decision.

Read more on Barron's

ETFs also have tax advantages, including accounting rules that make them less likely to distribute taxable capital gains than traditional open-ended mutual funds.

Read more on MarketWatch

Investors can buy or sell shares of traditional open-ended mutual funds only at the market close on a business day.

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“Ask open-ended questions to better understand their preferences and priorities, such as, ‘What kind of living situation would make you feel most comfortable?’

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Related Words

• unlimited 
• unrestricted