as in indefinite
formal
not able to be stated or described in an exact way
a man of indeterminate age an indeterminate number of people
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of indeterminate
Before the nineteen-eighties, judges around the country often used what was known as indeterminate sentencing.
—
Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2025
Vince, who co-founded the Black Rabbit with his brother years ago, has been hiding out in Reno for an indeterminate period, for unambivalent reasons.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Pinch off the growing tips of vining crops, such as indeterminate tomatoes, squash, and melons, to force the plants to redirect their energy to fruit production.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2025
Under a 1988 state law, California’s governor holds the unusual power to approve, deny or modify parole board decisions for people convicted of murder and sentenced to an indeterminate term.
—Matthew J. Friedman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for indeterminate
Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2025
Vince, who co-founded the Black Rabbit with his brother years ago, has been hiding out in Reno for an indeterminate period, for unambivalent reasons.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Pinch off the growing tips of vining crops, such as indeterminate tomatoes, squash, and melons, to force the plants to redirect their energy to fruit production.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2025
Under a 1988 state law, California’s governor holds the unusual power to approve, deny or modify parole board decisions for people convicted of murder and sentenced to an indeterminate term.
—Matthew J. Friedman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for indeterminate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indeterminate
Adjective
-
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who could be the key vote in the case, voiced particular concern about the indefinite use of race to draw maps compliant with Section 2.—
Devin Dwyer,
ABC News,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Those in the latter group were being held under administrative detention, a controversial practice that allows Israel to detain people without charge for an indefinite period of time.—
Yamiche Alcindor,
NBC news,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
With reports that Leonardo DiCaprio is distinctly interested in playing the role of Chris Shiherlis, the character played by the late great Val Kilmer in the original, Heat 2‘s approximate budget is $150 million.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Thanks to the crew’s quick response, the plane landed safely without further incident, and passengers were transferred to a replacement Boeing 737 MAX 9 that continued to Los Angeles with an approximate six-hour delay.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Indeterminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indeterminate. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share