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indeterminacy

American  
[in-di-tur-muh-nuh-see] / ˌɪn dɪˈtɜr mə nə si /

noun

  1. the condition or quality of being indeterminate; indetermination.


Etymology

Origin of indeterminacy

First recorded in 1640–50; indetermin(ate) + -acy

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

When attached to a character, indeterminacy manifests itself as confusion, and the novel mines a lot of humor from the bumbling of its poet-antihero.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson likewise complained about “a lot of indeterminacy in this set of facts,” noting that “we’re not quite sure who it covers.”

From Slate • Feb. 26, 2024

The concerto reveals, with marvel and magnificence, the essential nuance between the indeterminacy of nature’s rhythm and the chaos of our climate interference.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2023

It should be a bold premise, but there is a curious contrast in this film between the richly defined images and the story’s ethical indeterminacy.

From New York Times • Sep. 30, 2021

Frayn suggests that indeterminacy would be a better word for the principle and indeterminability would be better still.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson