indefinite

adjective

(ˌ)in-ˈde-fə-nət How to pronounce indefinite (audio)
Definition of indefinitenext
1
as in infinite
being or seeming to be without limits the indefinite vastness of the frozen tundra

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vague
not expressed in precise terms an indefinite longing for something new and exciting in her life

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3
as in faint
not seen or understood clearly through the dense fog we could just barely discern the indefinite form of another boat

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 indefinite By early January, doctors mandated Krzyzewski take an indefinite leave from coaching. — Brendan Marks, New York Times, 26 June 2026 Consequently, Levine placed an indefinite hold on Bell’s Board of Governors confirmation vote while his governance concerns were addressed. — Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026 Arcadia police said that the intersection of Duarte Road and Sunset Boulevard would be closed for an indefinite amount of time as the investigation got underway. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 21 June 2026 Maserati’s iconic sedan remains on indefinite hiatus. — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for indefinite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indefinite
  1. infinite
  2. vague
  3. faint
  4. endless
  5. unclear
  6. ambiguous
Adjective
  • The fact that this would have to be an invisible and infinite material that doesn't interact with physical objects made the existence of the luminiferous ether highly controversial.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 3 July 2026
  • The cosmos may be rich creative terrain, but Muse deal with the terrifying, destabilizing fact of the universe’s infinite expanse by simply trying to fill it up.
    — Liam Inscoe-Jones, Pitchfork, 1 July 2026
Definition of infinite
Adjective
  • The section’s vague language and many loopholes could have a chilling effect on any research that studies the effects of a disease, policy or public health intervention on any specific group of people, Rafla-Yuan said.
    — Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • Trip reports were vague but full of warnings about steep canyon walls and boat-eating holes.
    — John Todd, Outdoor Life, 9 July 2026
Definition of vague
Adjective
  • Croatia looked to have tied the game in the final moments, but the faintest of touches by a Croatian player made Croatia offside.
    — Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 3 July 2026
  • Look almost directly above Mars for a much fainter, star-like point of light.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of faint
Adjective
  • With no rooster to sing in a new day, Marialice begins a journey in endless night to find the sleeping sun, accompanied by tiny chick Little.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 7 July 2026
  • As the nature of personal photography changed, images that once were precious and finite became JPEGs on an endless scroll.
    — Derek C. Blasberg, Vanity Fair, 7 July 2026
Definition of endless
Adjective
  • For reasons that remain unclear, he was subsequently approved to be moved in with other detainees.
    — Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026
  • How, exactly, Trump plans to get around the congressional ban on the fighter jet sales remained unclear.
    — Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
Definition of unclear
Adjective
  • As for the ambiguous finale, Hall and Bravo have similar, but slightly different views on it.
    — Reshma Gopaldas, IndieWire, 9 July 2026
  • Much of what couples experience as conflict is, on closer inspection, a disagreement about which interpretation of an ambiguous event is the correct one, and that disagreement is rarely settled by appeals to trust.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of ambiguous

Browse Nearby Words

indefinable
indefinite
indefiniteness
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Cite this Entry

“Indefinite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indefinite. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on indefinite

Nglish: Translation of indefinite for Spanish Speakers

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