uncertified
Americanadjective
Explanation
Anything that's not officially approved or accepted is uncertified. Don't celebrate winning that close election just yet — the results are still uncertified, so there might be a recount. When something is certified, it's been declared to be authentic or official, like a certified letter. When a person is certified, they've met a certain standard, like a certified accountant. Add the prefix un- ("not") and you get the opposite, something or someone who's failed to meet this standard of authenticity or expertise. If your school hires uncertified teachers, they may not be as well-educated as you'd like them to be.
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.
However, in exceptional cases, such as martial law or a state of emergency, the use of uncertified devices is allowed to meet the needs of the military and security forces.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2025
"Voters elected me to continue serving on the North Carolina Supreme Court 79 days ago, and my election is the last uncertified race in the country," she said.
From Salon ● Jan. 23, 2025
A Stage 1 ban prohibits the use of wood-burning fireplaces, uncertified wood stoves and outdoor burning, with few exceptions.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 26, 2023
In the 2020-2021 year, more than a quarter of schools employed uncertified teachers and 24 percent had no counselors.
From New York Times ● Nov. 15, 2023
Getting down to more verifiable facts, though, Ruby Archuleta was an uncertified midwife who had been safely delivering babies since 1940.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
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.
