noncommittal

adjective

non·com·mit·tal | \ ˌnän-kə-ˈmi-tᵊl

Definition of noncommittal

1 : giving no clear indication of attitude or feeling a noncommittal reply He was noncommittal about how the money would be spent.

2 : having no clear or distinctive character a noncommittal word which might be used of anything from babies to furnaces— J. C. Swaim

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Examples of noncommittal in a Sentence

She would only give noncommittal answers about her plans. The president remained noncommittal, saying only that all options would be considered.

Recent Examples on the Web

Reid and Waters were noncommittal about possibly leaving school to enter the NBA Draft, though an exodus could be coming, especially given the scandal LSU is embroiled in. — Stephen Whyno, The Seattle Times, "LSU plunges into uncertainty after NCAA Tournament exit," 29 Mar. 2019 How Pelosi’s leadership intersects with those goals helps explain anti-Pelosi sentiment among certain members of her party, and why many Democratic candidates are noncommittal about supporting her as leader. — Matthew Green, Vox, "What Pelosi’s defenders miss," 29 Oct. 2018 Think: kind gestures that are nonaggressive, noncommittal, and sans heavy emotions. — Liana Satenstein, Vogue, "27 Foolproof Gift Ideas for Neighbors, Coworkers, and Other Pseudo-Strangers," 12 Nov. 2018 There will certainly be plenty of parsing of the nominee's comments about Roe and about Supreme Court precedents during the confirmation hearings, but that nominee will also be coached to speak about these things in noncommittal and vague terms. — Aaron Blake, Washington Post, "Trump makes clear Roe v. Wade is on the chopping block," 2 July 2018 The Arizona senator had been noncommittal for days. — Dylan Scott, Vox, "I’ll never forget watching John McCain vote down Obamacare repeal," 26 Aug. 2018 As written, the words appear noncommittal, yet the rhyme implies the patness of what these women have to say. — Lyndall Gordon, New York Times, "Jeremy Irons Breathes New Life Into ‘The Poems of T.S. Eliot’," 17 May 2018 The noncommittal attitude toward storm water management practices at the arena site extended to the Ilitches’ surrounding surface lots. — Joe Guillen, Detroit Free Press, "Ilitches can maximize parking money thanks to favorable city ruling on LCA lot designs," 6 Mar. 2018 When the subject about a job for James came up on a post-deal conference call with analysts, Mr. Iger was respectful but noncommittal. — Brooks Barnes, New York Times, "James Murdoch Will Not Join Disney if Fox Deal Is Completed," 8 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'noncommittal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near noncommittal

noncommissioned

noncommissioned officer

Statistics for noncommittal

Last Updated

8 May 2019

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Time Traveler for noncommittal

The first known use of noncommittal was in 1829

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More Definitions for noncommittal

noncommittal

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of noncommittal

: not telling or showing what you think about something

See the full definition for noncommittal in the English Language Learners Dictionary

noncommittal

adjective

non·com·mit·tal | \ ˌnän-kə-ˈmi-tᵊl

Kids Definition of noncommittal

: not revealing thoughts or decisions … her tone was so quiet and noncommittal that I knew Miss Crocker was not satisfied with her reaction.— Mildred D. Taylor, Roll of Thunder