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

So, are we on a trajectory to hundreds of cases, or are we only on the trajectory to tens of thousands of cases, is sort of the open question.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

Yet that still leaves an open question that should make those customers nervous: How much will they be paying for power?

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

It’s an open question if anyone is listening.

From Salon • May 11, 2026

Whether spreads and dividend coverage will revive remains an open question.

From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026

Nevertheless, it remains an open question how wide and lasting the effects of idiosyncratic individuals on history really are.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond