UNCERTAIN: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for UNCERTAIN?

Need another word that means the same as “uncertain”? Find 45 synonyms and 30 related words for “uncertain” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Uncertain” are: unsealed, changeable, unsettled, incertain, unsure, unknown, undetermined, unresolved, pending, in the balance, in limbo, up in the air, debatable, open to question, in doubt, variable, varying, irregular, fitful, unpredictable, unreliable, unstable, erratic, fluctuating, doubtful, dubious, undecided, indecisive, irresolute, hesitant, wavering, vacillating, oscillating, vague, hazy, unclear, ambivalent, in two minds, torn, hesitating, tentative, halting, faltering, unconfident, diffident

Uncertain as an Adjective

Definitions of "Uncertain" as an adjective

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “uncertain” as an adjective can have the following definitions:

• Not established beyond doubt; still undecided or unknown.
• Subject to change.
• Lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance.
• (of a person) not completely confident or sure of something.
• Not consistent or dependable.
• Ambiguous (especially in the negative.
• Not established or confirmed.
• Not able to be relied on; not known or definite.
• Not certain to occur; not inevitable.

Synonyms of "Uncertain" as an adjective (45 Words)

ambivalent	Having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone. Was ambivalent about having children.
changeable	Subject to change. The weather will be changeable with rain at times.
debatable	Open to doubt or debate. It is debatable whether the country is coming out of recession.
diffident	Showing modest reserve. She was diffident when offering a comment on the professor s lecture.
doubtful	Improbable. The candidate s doubtful past.
dubious	Not to be relied upon; suspect. Dubious about agreeing to go.
erratic	Liable to sudden unpredictable change. Erratic winds are the bane of a sailor.
faltering	Unsteady in speech or action. He is now all set to take his first faltering steps.
fitful	Occurring in spells and often abruptly. Fitful or interrupted sleep.
fluctuating	Rising and falling irregularly in number or amount. Fluctuating prices.
halting	Fragmentary or halting from emotional strain. She speaks halting English with a heavy accent.
hazy	Indistinct or hazy in outline. It was a beautiful day but quite hazy.
hesitant	Lacking decisiveness of character; unable to act or decide quickly or firmly. Clients are hesitant about buying.
hesitating	Lacking decisiveness of character; unable to act or decide quickly or firmly. His hesitating delivery.
in doubt	Directed or bound inward.
in limbo	Currently fashionable.
in the balance	Directed or bound inward.
in two minds	Currently fashionable.
incertain	Lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance.
indecisive	Not definitely settling something. An indecisive manager brought the enterprise to a standstill.
irregular	(of troops) not belonging to regular or established army units. His strong irregular features.
irresolute	Uncertain how to act or proceed. She stood irresolute outside his door.
open to question	Affording free passage or access.
oscillating	Having periodic vibrations.
pending	About to happen; imminent. Nine cases were still pending.
tentative	Done without confidence; hesitant. A tentative conclusion.
torn	Disrupted by the pull of contrary forces. Torn between love and hate.
unclear	Not clear to the mind. The motive for this killing is unclear.
unconfident	Not confident; hesitant. The airmen were young but not unconfident.
undecided	Characterized by indecision. The jury remained undecided.
undetermined	Not yet having been ascertained or determined. Of undetermined species.
unknown	Being or having an unknown or unnamed source. An unknown amount.
unpredictable	Unknown in advance. The unpredictable weather of the Scottish islands.
unreliable	Not able to be relied upon. He s lazy and unreliable.
unresolved	Characterized by musical dissonance harmonically unresolved. Many problems remain unresolved.
unsealed	Not established or confirmed. Unsealed envelopes.
unsettled	Liable to change; unpredictable. Unsettled weather with rain and hail and sunshine coming one right after the other.
unstable	Highly or violently reactive. An unstable world economy.
unsure	(of a fact) not fixed or certain. Unsure of himself and his future.
up in the air	Open.
vacillating	Wavering between different opinions or actions; irresolute. He was accused of vacillating leadership.
vague	Not clearly expressed or understood. A vague uneasiness.
variable	(of a species) liable to deviate from the typical colour or form, or to occur in different colours or forms. Rainfall in the tropics is notoriously variable.
varying	Differing in size, amount, degree, or nature. The varying angles of roof slope.
wavering	Moving in a quivering way; flickering. The move brought back wavering voters.

Usage Examples of "Uncertain" as an adjective

• Changes of great if uncertain consequences.
• I was uncertain how to proceed.
• Uncertain of his convictions.
• An uncertain smile.
• Without further evidence his story must remain uncertain.
• Moving with uncertain (or unsure) steps.
• She spoke in no uncertain terms.
• A manuscript of uncertain origin.
• Touched the ornaments with uncertain fingers.
• An uncertain future.
• A gun with a rather uncertain trigger.
• An uncertain recollection of events.
• The issue is uncertain.
• Everything is uncertain about the army.
• The weather is uncertain.
• Plans are still uncertain.

Associations of "Uncertain" (30 Words)

ambiguous	Not clear or decided. The election result was ambiguous.
ambiguously	So as to be open to more than one interpretation. This letter is worded ambiguously.
ambivalent	Having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone. Some loved her some hated her few were ambivalent about her.
blurred	Indistinct or hazy in outline. Blurred vision.
doubtful	Open to doubt or suspicion. The candidate s doubtful past.
dubious	Fraught with uncertainty or doubt. I was rather dubious about the whole idea.
equivocal	Open to question-Anna Jameson. The evidence from bacteriologic analysis was equivocal.
equivocally	In an ambiguous manner.
equivocate	Use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself. The government have equivocated too often in the past.
evasive	Tending to avoid commitment or self-revelation, especially by responding only indirectly. His answers were brief constrained and evasive.
floating	Borne up by or suspended in a liquid. Floating exchange rates.
illegibility	The quality of writing (print or handwriting) that cannot be deciphered.
imprecision	Lack of exactness or accuracy. All scientific measurements come with some degree of imprecision.
inconclusive	Not conclusive; not putting an end to doubt or question. Inconclusive evidence.
indecisive	Not clearly defined. He was too indecisive to carry out his political programme.
indeterminate	Not exactly known, established, or defined. The influence of environment is indeterminate.
insecure	(of a job or situation) liable to change for the worse; not permanent or settled. Badly paid and insecure jobs.
irresolute	Uncertain how to act or proceed. She stood irresolute outside his door.
nebulous	(of a concept) vague or ill-defined. Nebulous distinction between pride and conceit.
noncommittal	Refusing to bind oneself to a particular course of action or view or the like. Her boyfriend was noncommittal about their future together.
suspicious	Having or showing a cautious distrust of someone or something. She gave him a suspicious look.
unattached	Not married or having an established partner; single. She began to wonder if he was unattached.
uncertainty	The state of being unsure of something. The uncertainty of the outcome.
unclear	Not clear to the mind. The reason for their actions is unclear to this day.
undecided	Not brought to a conclusion; subject to further thought. The match was still undecided.
undifferentiated	Not different or differentiated. By six weeks the sexual glands are as yet undifferentiated between male and female.
unresolved	Characterized by musical dissonance harmonically unresolved. Many problems remain unresolved.
unsettled	Still in doubt. An unsettled issue.
vague	Of uncertain, indefinite, or unclear character or meaning. He had been very vague about his activities.
vaguely	In a way that is unfocused or lacks attention; absent-mindedly. He vaguely remembered talking to her once.