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

Whether bypassing the news media will actually benefit tech's cause remains an open question.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Whether or not the overnight moves would carry through to Thursday’s market open remained an open question, given the barrage of back-and-forth headlines that investors have been fielding recently.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026

As part of this, we are tackling the open question of how centromeres assemble the kinetochore.

From Science Daily • Mar. 10, 2026

It is an open question whether many Kurds will answer the call.

From Slate • Mar. 6, 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