uncertainty
Americannoun
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uncertainties
plural
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the state of being uncertain; doubt; hesitancy.
His uncertainty gave impetus to his inquiry.
- Synonyms:
- ambivalence, indecision, irresolution, hesitation
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an instance of uncertainty, doubt, etc.
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unpredictability; indeterminacy; indefiniteness.
noun
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Also called: uncertainness. the state or condition of being uncertain
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an uncertain matter, contingency, etc
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of uncertainty
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English uncerteynte; equivalent to un- 1 + certainty
Explanation
When you have uncertainty, that means you're not really sure. If you missed a lot of classes and didn't study much, you may have uncertainty about whether you passed your big math test. The noun uncertainty describes a state of doubt. You might view with uncertainty a claim that a $100 investment will return $500 by next month. Uncertainty can also involve being dependent on chance. Your uncle might have uncertainty that he'll have a job next year because his company might be closing one of its branch offices.
Vocabulary lists containing uncertainty
"A Job for Valentin" and "In the Heart of a Hero"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Yet they are still larger than researchers would expect from ordinary experimental uncertainty.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026
For Gareth Balmer of With You, that uncertainty is part of the danger.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
It also highlighted concerns that British Steel's 4,052 workers face uncertainty and the steel strategy is still vague about when the 50% target would be achieved.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
Near term, the U.S.-Iran conflict and energy remain the key drivers and the source of uncertainty for rates and market pricing of the European Central Bank’s rate path, they say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
He can’t explain where the conviction came from, or how it burned brightly enough to shine through the black uncertainty.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
It also noted that similar uncertainties can arise during baking or frying at home, where temperatures, cooking times, and amounts vary.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
"Not one rescue, but multiple potential rescues, unfolding at the same time, in different places, each with its own dangers, uncertainties, and lives that may still be saved."
From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026
For his part, Hausfather cautioned that there are “pretty big uncertainties when you are working with indirect measurements like coral proxy records,” so comparing historic El Niños to modern ones is inherently hard to do.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
Tax uncertainties, bureaucratic red tape, delays in land and environmental approvals are all long-documented challenges for foreign investors, including the Japanese.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026
Over the years, the uncertainties wore him down.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
