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View synonyms for

open-ended

[ oh-puhn-en-did ]

adjective

  1. not having fixed limits; unrestricted; broad:

    an open-ended discussion.

  2. allowing for future changes, revisions, or additions:

    open-ended agreements.

  3. having no fixed answer:

    an open-ended question.



open-ended

adjective

  1. without definite limits, as of duration or amount

    an open-ended contract

  2. denoting a question, esp one on a questionnaire, that cannot be answered "yes", "no", or "don't know"
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • p-ԻĻ·Ա noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of open-ended1

First recorded in 1815–25; open + end 1 + -ed 3
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

But caregiving is also — even if it has an end point because someone has a terminal diagnosis — an open-ended, innovative process.

From

Other open-ended questions are these: Why did some monkeys appear to be able to overcome the difficulties of the hurricane more than others?

From

There is evidence to suggest replacing open-ended questions in performance evaluations with more specific ones, such as "what's the one biggest accomplishment of this person last year?"

From

It's a sprawling, open-ended game that allows players to carve their own path through it.

From

But the email reviewed by The Times did not contain an endpoint for the “pause,” and the official who spoke to The Times described it as “open-ended.”

From

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open-endopen-end mortgage