uncertain

[uhn-sur-tn]

See more synonyms for uncertain on Thesaurus.com

adjective

not definitely ascertainable or fixed, as in time of occurrence, number, dimensions, or quality.
not confident, assured, or free from hesitancy: an uncertain smile.
not clearly or precisely determined; indefinite; unknown: a manuscript of uncertain origin.

vague; indistinct; not perfectly apprehended: an abstruse novel with uncertain themes.
subject to change; variable; capricious; unstable: a person of uncertain opinions.
ambiguous; unreliable; undependable: Her loyalties are uncertain.
dependent on chance or unpredictable factors; doubtful; of unforeseeable outcome or effect.
unsteady or flickering, as light; of changing intensity or quality.

Origin of uncertain

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at un-¹, certain

Related formsun·cer·tain·ly, adverbun·cer·tain·ness, noun

Synonyms for uncertain

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1. unsure, unpredictable. 3. unsettled, undetermined. 8. irregular.

Synonym study

1. Uncertain, insecure, precarious imply a lack of predictability. That which is uncertain is doubtful or problematical; it often involves danger through an inability to predict or to place confidence in the unknown: The time of his arrival is uncertain. That which is insecure is not firm, stable, reliable, or safe, and hence is likely to give way, fail, or be overcome: an insecure foundation, footing, protection. Precarious suggests great susceptibility to failure, or exposure to imminent danger: a precarious means of existence.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for uncertainly

haphazardly, fitfully, infrequently, sporadically, unevenly, erratically, very, unusually, remarkably, extremely, skeptically, dubiously, anyhow, helter-skelter, occasionally, periodically, slapdash, uncommonly, willy-nilly, eccentrically

Examples from the Web for uncertainly

Contemporary Examples of uncertainly

And the Ukrainian army, slowly, uncertainly, but ineluctably, is closing in on this besieged ghost-town of a city.
Shakeup In the Ukraine Rebel High Command
Jamie Dettmer
August 15, 2014
The result was an extra month of uncertainly that impeded an already volatile hiring market.
Obama’s Jobs Malaise
Daniel Stone
September 2, 2011

Historical Examples of uncertainly

Cyrus had withdrawn from the stove, and was feeling his chin, uncertainly.
Meadow Grass
Alice Brown
The uncertainly and mystery that enveloped Eldorado was its greatest charm.
Four Girls and a Compact
Annie Hamilton Donnell
In the living-room he stood and stared about him uncertainly.
The Twins of Suffering Creek
Ridgwell Cullum
“I must go through the dining-room to get to my room,” Olive said uncertainly.
Olive in Italy
Moray Dalton
The girl's voice was colorless, and she did not look at Rufus who regarded her uncertainly.
In Apple-Blossom Time
Clara Louise Burnham

British Dictionary definitions for uncertainly

uncertain

adjective

not able to be accurately known or predictedthe issue is uncertain
(when postpositive, often foll by of) not sure or confident (about)a man of uncertain opinion
not precisely determined, established, or decideduncertain plans
not to be depended upon; unreliablean uncertain vote
liable to variation; changeablethe weather is uncertain
in no uncertain terms
1. unambiguously
2. forcefully

Derived Formsuncertainly, adverbuncertainness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for uncertainly

uncertain

adj.

c.1300, "of indeterminate time or occurrence," from un- (1) "not" + certain (adj.). Meaning "not fully confident" is recorded from late 14c. (implied in uncertainty). Related: Uncertainly.

Idioms and Phrases with uncertainly

uncertain

see in no uncertain terms.