noncommittal

adjective

non·​com·​mit·​tal ˌnän-kə-ˈmi-tᵊl 

1

: giving no clear indication of attitude or feeling

a noncommittal reply

He was noncommittal about how the money would be spent.

2

: having no clear or distinctive character

a noncommittal word which might be used of anything from babies to furnaces

—J. C. Swaim

noncommittally

ˌnän-kə-ˈmi-tᵊl-ē 

adverb

Synonyms

• beige
• characterless
• faceless
• featureless
• indistinctive
• neutral
• nondescript
• vanilla

Examples of noncommittal in a Sentence

She would only give noncommittal answers about her plans.

The president remained noncommittal, saying only that all options would be considered.

Recent Examples on the Web

The team could see more changes as Garrett Wilson has been noncommittal about his future with the team. —Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 23 Dec. 2024

Johnson was noncommittal about allowing 72 hours for review during the closed-door conference meeting, a source in the room told The Hill. —Mychael Schnell, The Hill, 17 Dec. 2024

The humble hero of rain and noncommittal temps has been upgraded for fall and is looking more exciting than ever. —Christina Holevas, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2024

Ariel is noncommittal but hopeful as to the E-Nomad's production chances. —New Atlas, 10 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

noncommittal

adjective

non·​com·​mit·​tal ˌnän-kə-ˈmit-ᵊl 

: not telling or showing what a person thinks or has decided

a noncommittal answer

noncommittally

-ᵊl-ē 

adverb