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
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Recent Examples of indeterminate
Many are small mammals (mice, raccoons, assorted rodents) while some are simply indeterminate cute little beings.
—
Hazlitt, 3 Dec. 2025
The Unworthy takes place an indeterminate amount of time after an unspecified global catastrophe.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Hoover was sentenced to 200 years in prison under Illinois' former indeterminate sentencing system.
—Beatrice Peterson, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2025
Flash-forward an indeterminate amount of time, and Sean (now played by Mika Amonsen) is a little older and about to start his job as a rookie cop with the Boston Police Department.
—Kristen Baldwin, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for indeterminate
Hazlitt, 3 Dec. 2025
The Unworthy takes place an indeterminate amount of time after an unspecified global catastrophe.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Hoover was sentenced to 200 years in prison under Illinois' former indeterminate sentencing system.
—Beatrice Peterson, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2025
Flash-forward an indeterminate amount of time, and Sean (now played by Mika Amonsen) is a little older and about to start his job as a rookie cop with the Boston Police Department.
—Kristen Baldwin, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for indeterminate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indeterminate
Adjective
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Kaiser nurses statewide began an indefinite strike Monday, restarting picket lines that went idle after a five-day work stoppage in October 2025.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
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The indefinite postponement is in many ways a reflection of the broader problems at NEOM and the kingdom’s largest gigaprojects.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The network uses nearby Apple devices to detect an AirTag’s signal and relay its approximate location back to the owner.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Jan. 2026
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Experts generally examine a panther’s teeth to determine its approximate age.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Indeterminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indeterminate. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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