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

The open question now is how much progress the countries can make in Pakistan.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

Whether it will be enough to spare her is an open question.

From Salon • Apr. 23, 2026

I think it’s an open question, and an important one.

From Slate • Apr. 9, 2026

Whether that translates into a use case for consumers, SoFi’s main customer base, is an open question.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 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