uncertain en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ʌnˈsɜːtən/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (US) audio
- /ʌnˈsɜɹ.tən/ (General-American)
Etymology
From Middle English uncerteyn. By surface analysis, un- + certain.
Meanings
-
Not certain; unsure.
Conſider man without the protection and conduct of a ſuperior Being, and he is ſecure of nothing that he enjoys in this world, and uncertain of every thing that he hopes for.
1664, John Tillotson, “Sermon I. The Wisdom of Being Religious. Job XXVIII. 28.”, in The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: […], 8th edition, London: […] T. Goodwin, B[enjamin] Tooke, and J. Pemberton, […]; J. Round […], and J[acob] Tonson] […], published 1720, →OCLC, page 20:
-
Not known for certain; questionable.
Tomorrow's weather is uncertain.
- Not yet determined; undecided.
- Variable and subject to change.
-
Fitful or unsteady.
Turning back, then, toward the basement staircase, she began to grope her way through blinding darkness, but had taken only a few uncertain steps when, of a sudden, she stopped short and for a little stood like a stricken thing, quite motionless save that she quaked to her very marrow in the grasp of a great and enervating fear.
1914 November, Louis Joseph Vance, “An Outsider […]”, in Munsey’s Magazine, volume LIII, number II, New York, N.Y.: The Frank A[ndrew] Munsey Company, […], published 1915, →OCLC, chapter III (Accessory After the Fact), page 382, column 1:
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Unpredictable or capricious.
O, woman! in our hours of ease, / Uncertain, coy, and hard to please, / And variable as the shade / By the light quivering aspen made; […]
1808 February 22, Walter Scott, “Canto Sixth. The Battle.”, in Marmion; a Tale of Flodden Field, Edinburgh: […] J[ames] Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Company, […]; London: William Miller, and John Murray, →OCLC, stanza XXXI, page 362:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more uncertain | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| uncertainer | Degree=Cmp | nonstandard, rare | lexicographic |
| uncertainest | Degree=Sup | nonstandard, rare | lexicographic |
| most uncertain | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
uncertainness · in no uncertain terms
Relateds
unprovable · uncertainty · undisprovable · uncertainly
Synonyms
unascertained · unascertained · shaky
Translations (111)
hu bizonytalan (not yet determined; undecided) · ru нестаби́льный (fitful or unsteady) · ro nedecis (not yet determined; undecided) · ga éiginnte (not yet determined; undecided) · km មិនប្រាកដប្រជា (not known for certain; questionable) · gl incerto (not yet determined; undecided) · pdt onbestemt (not known for certain; questionable) · el αβέβαιος (not known for certain; questionable) · ro instabil (variable and subject to change) · uz noaniq (not yet determined; undecided) · hi अनिश्चित (unpredictable or capricious) · ro variabil (fitful or unsteady) · gl incerto (unpredictable or capricious) · ro nesigur (not known for certain; questionable) · th ไม่แน่นอน (not known for certain; questionable) · tr belirsiz (not yet determined; undecided) · hu bizonytalan (fitful or unsteady) · hi अनिश्चित (not yet determined; undecided) · es incierto (not yet determined; undecided) · pl niezdecydowany (not yet determined; undecided) · ca incert (variable and subject to change) · ru неопределённый (not known for certain; questionable) · bg несигурен (unpredictable or capricious) · de unsicher (variable and subject to change) · tr şüpheli (not known for certain; questionable) · gd mì-chinnteach (not known for certain; questionable) · gd mì-chinnteach (not yet determined; undecided) · ru нея́сный (not known for certain; questionable) · de unsicher (not known for certain; questionable) · pt incerto (not yet determined; undecided) · sv osäker (not known for certain; questionable) · bg несигурен (not yet determined; undecided) · mi kūraruraru (not yet determined; undecided) · th ไม่มั่นคง (fitful or unsteady) · eo necerta (not known for certain; questionable) · fi epävakaa (fitful or unsteady) · mi kumukumu (variable and subject to change) · pl niepewny (not known for certain; questionable) · fi epävarma (fitful or unsteady) · pl nieokreślony (not known for certain; questionable) · ota شبههلو (not known for certain; questionable) · mi maunawenawe (not yet determined; undecided) · mi harapuka (not known for certain; questionable) · hu bizonytalan (unpredictable or capricious) · gd mì-chinnteach (fitful or unsteady) · gl incerto (variable and subject to change) · ru неуве́ренный (not known for certain; questionable) · fi epävarma (not yet determined; undecided) · grc ἀβέβαιος (not known for certain; questionable) · cs nejistý (not known for certain; questionable) · bg нестабилен (fitful or unsteady) · bg неясен (unpredictable or capricious) · de unbestimmt (not yet determined; undecided) · ca incert (not yet determined; undecided) · fi arvaamaton (unpredictable or capricious) · ka გაურკვეველი (not yet determined; undecided) · mi taupetupetu (not known for certain; questionable) · mi matawaenga (not known for certain; questionable) · mk неизвесен (not known for certain; questionable) · pt indeterminado (not yet determined; undecided) · fr incertain (not known for certain; questionable) · la incertus (not known for certain; questionable) · fi epävarma (not known for certain; questionable) · mi ahurangi (variable and subject to change) · ro inconstant (variable and subject to change) · gd mì-chinnteach (unpredictable or capricious) · de unbeständig (unpredictable or capricious) · ro instabil (fitful or unsteady) · la ambiguus (not known for certain; questionable) · ru неусто́йчивый (fitful or unsteady) · es incierto (variable and subject to change) · mi pōhauhau (not known for certain; questionable) · gd mì-chinnteach (variable and subject to change) · de unbeständig (fitful or unsteady) · hi अनिश्चित (not known for certain; questionable) · pt incerto (variable and subject to change) · gl incerto (not known for certain; questionable) · fr incertain (not yet determined; undecided) · ro nestatornic (variable and subject to change) · bg неустановен (variable and subject to change) · mi hokirua (not known for certain; questionable) · mi ngākaurua (not yet determined; undecided) · ru непостоя́нный (fitful or unsteady) · th คลุมเคลือ (not known for certain; questionable) · ca incert (not known for certain; questionable) · es incierto (not known for certain; questionable) · ro nestabil (variable and subject to change) · hu bizonytalan (variable and subject to change) · ro indecis (not yet determined; undecided) · ro imprevizibil (unpredictable or capricious) · de unbeständig (variable and subject to change) · ro neregulat (fitful or unsteady) · fi epävarma (variable and subject to change) · bg неопределен (not known for certain; questionable) · ru неопределённый (not yet determined; undecided) · pl niepewny (not yet determined; undecided) · ru изме́нчивый (fitful or unsteady) · cy ansicr (not known for certain; questionable) · de ungewiss (not known for certain; questionable) · mi maunawenawe (not known for certain; questionable) · fi kyseenalainen (not known for certain; questionable) · mi pāhekeheke (variable and subject to change) · hu bizonytalan (not known for certain; questionable) · ru непредсказу́емый (unpredictable or capricious) · eo necerta (not yet determined; undecided) · pt incerto (not known for certain; questionable) · fr incertain (variable and subject to change) · es poco certero (not known for certain; questionable) · sv tvivelaktig (not known for certain; questionable) · th ลังเล (not yet determined; undecided) · ro incert (not known for certain; questionable)