1
as in volatile
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly
the stifling heat would occasionally be relieved by an uncertain breeze
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unsure
not feeling sure about the truth, wisdom, or trustworthiness of someone or something
never uncertain of her political beliefs or judgment, she was a decisive and fearless leader
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of uncertain
Food and shelter were frequently uncertain.
—
Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 28 May 2026
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York released a report on Wednesday identifying uncertain access to adequate food and consumer pessimism on the rise in certain vulnerable groups across the country.
—ABC News, 28 May 2026
Drug development is inherently uncertain and expensive.
—Sally C. Pipes, Boston Herald, 27 May 2026
Even the festival’s notoriously demanding crowds seemed to feel protective this time around about a medium whose future, like that of so much in the world, feels precarious and uncertain.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for uncertain
Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 28 May 2026
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York released a report on Wednesday identifying uncertain access to adequate food and consumer pessimism on the rise in certain vulnerable groups across the country.
—ABC News, 28 May 2026
Drug development is inherently uncertain and expensive.
—Sally C. Pipes, Boston Herald, 27 May 2026
Even the festival’s notoriously demanding crowds seemed to feel protective this time around about a medium whose future, like that of so much in the world, feels precarious and uncertain.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for uncertain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncertain
Adjective
-
Days after mass evacuations were ordered in Orange County, the next few hours could be crucial in dealing with a volatile chemical tank at a Garden Grove aerospace company that has threatened to either explode or cause a major spill.—
Deborah Netburn,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2026
-
Cultivating this deliberate leadership quality is essential for career progression and resilience in volatile times.—
Cynthia Pong,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Army Corps removed debris on about two-thirds of homes that burned down, but the agency did not perform soil testing before and after the cleanup, leaving residents unsure about potential risks.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
20 May 2026
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If unsure, test the soil pH because improper pH affects nutrient uptake.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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Approval timelines were unpredictable, administrative requirements had accumulated around projects that technically complied with zoning, and developers could not move forward with confidence.—
Christina Mojica,
Oc Register,
26 May 2026
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One of its key findings was that crisis intervention, requiring rapid judgment in high-stakes, unpredictable situations, ranked among the most difficult skills for AI systems to replicate.—
Ulrich Boser,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Adjective
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But it's also made people even more skeptical of public figures whose appearances seem naturally frozen in time.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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Many consumers are wary, skeptical, and even disgusted by AI content in ads.—
Melissa A. Wheeler,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Rigorous, blustery winter; winding sleety spring; hot, moist enervating summer; changeful autumn with its dog-days; these are absolutely unknown.—
San Diego Union-Tribune,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Jan. 2023
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Hers is the kind of face that inspires directors to tight framing — gleaming, as if smoothed from marble, and yet somehow pliant, changeful.—
Jordan Kisner Jack Davison,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2022
Adjective
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Further, according to a TSA spokesperson, packing food that looks suspicious on X-ray, like powders or dense snacks, often gets your bag flagged.—
Jillian Dara,
Travel + Leisure,
23 May 2026
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Officers searched the grounds and found nothing suspicious.—
Ethan Varian,
Mercury News,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
Because the chemicals and the tank were deemed unstable, responders couldn't immediately access all the areas of the facility to search for additional victims, officials said.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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So we are used to operating in a very unstable context.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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Many objected to the movie’s inconsistent mythology, weak character development, fundamental changes to the persona of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), and an overall lack of coherent world-building across Abrams and Johnson’s two incongruous installments.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
23 May 2026
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The Sentinel story published earlier this month featured both Gavi’s and Bastien’s cases as examples of Florida’s inconsistent approach to dealing with nurses who received degrees from roughly two dozen schools that sold fake nursing degrees to more than 7,000 people over the past several years.—
Annie Martin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Uncertain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncertain. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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