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

---

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.”

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

open question

Whether that strategy would pay off is still an open question.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 25, 2026

Whether they can deliver it is an open question.

From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026

Where the money will come from to cover these losses and power the industry ahead is an open question.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

That left the committee’s direction an open question at a moment when its members are split down the middle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026

Whether the human race can actually maintain a population of five billion or more without a crash with a hot virus remains an open question.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston