INDEX:
1. something that you cannot be certain about
2. when a situation is uncertain, and something bad may happen
3. when two different results are possible
4. when there are several different opinions about something
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ CERTAINLY/DEFINITELY
see also
↑ SURE/NOT SURE
↑ KNOW/NOT KNOW
↑ DOUBT
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1. something that you cannot be certain about
▷ uncertain/not certain /ʌnˈsɜːʳtn, nɒt ˈsɜːʳtn/ [adjective]
something that is uncertain, has not been definitely shown or decided :
▪ The cause of the accident is uncertain.
▪ Exactly how and when these plant species came to the Great Plains is not certain.
it is uncertain whether/if
▪ It is still uncertain whether the conference will actually take place.
it is uncertain how/why/when/that
▪ It’s uncertain when the trial will begin.
▪ It is not at all certain that Christopher Columbus was the first European to discover America.
▷ unclear/not clear /ʌnˈklɪəʳ, nɒt ˈklɪəʳ/ [adjective]
a situation that is unclear, is one that people do not know enough or understand enough to be sure about it :
▪ The causes of the dispute are not entirely clear.
▪ At this hour, the fate of the passengers and crew is still unclear.
it is unclear how/why/whether etc
▪ It isn’t clear how the fire started.
▪ It’s not yet clear whether the disease is caused by a virus.
▪ It was unclear when the two sides would meet again to discuss the budget.
it is not clear that
▪ It’s not clear that the problems with the new computer system have been worked out.
▷ be up in the air /biː ˌʌp ɪn ði ˈeəʳ/ [verb phrase] informal
use this about something that is uncertain because a decision has not yet been made :
▪ I might be going on a training course next week, but it’s still up in the air.
▪ They still haven’t said if I’ve got the job -- it’s all up in the air at the moment.
▷ there is uncertainty about/over something /ðeər ɪz ʌnˈsɜːʳtnti əbaʊt, əʊvəʳ something/
use this to say that people do not feel certain about what has happened or will happen, and are worried about it - used especially in newspapers and public speeches :
▪ The Principal said there was uncertainty about the candidate’s qualifications.
▪ There is some uncertainty over where the refugees are going to be housed.
2. when a situation is uncertain, and something bad may happen
▷ uncertain /ʌnˈsɜːʳtn/ [adjective]
▪ The situation on the island is still very uncertain and the army is on full alert.
▪ The long-term benefits of the treatment are extremely uncertain.
▪ The economic outlook is so uncertain that I would think carefully before investing any money.
highly uncertain
very uncertain
▪ The company faces a highly uncertain future.
▷ be/look/remain etc doubtful /biː ˈdaʊtf ə l/ [verb phrase]
to be uncertain and likely to be bad :
▪ The result of the President’s re-election campaign remains doubtful.
▪ With more and more cuts in government spending, the program’s future now seems doubtful.
it is doubtful if/whether
▪ It is doubtful if she will survive the operation.
▪ It is extremely doubtful whether the aid is actually reaching the people who need it most.
it is doubtful that
▪ It is doubtful that the governor’s proposed tax increase will be popular with voters.
▷ be in doubt /biː ɪn ˈdaʊt/ [verb phrase]
if someone or something’s future or success is in doubt, it seems very uncertain and they may not be able to continue or to succeed :
▪ After yet another injury, his football career is in doubt.
▪ The building’s future remained in doubt until the government agreed to restore it.
▷ it’s touch and go /ɪts ˌtʌtʃ ən ˈgəʊ/ spoken
you say it’s touch and go when a situation seems extremely uncertain and you are worried that something may not happen in the way you want :
▪ It was touch and go for a few hours, but we were able to get everything out of the basement before it flooded.
▪ An urgent operation was needed to save his life, and doctors said it was touch and go until the end of the procedure.
it’s touch and go whether
▪ Traffic was really heavy, and for a while it was touch and go whether they’d get to the wedding on time.
▷ be/hang in the balance /biː, ˌhæŋ ɪn ðə ˈbæləns/ [verb phrase]
if something is in the balance or hangs in the balance, there is a risk that something bad will happen so that it will not continue :
▪ The survival of the African elephant hangs in the balance.
▪ His career as a politician hung in the balance.
▪ I can’t say what the outcome of the talks will be -- they’re very much in the balance at the moment.
▷ iffy /ˈɪfi/ [adjective not usually before noun] spoken informal
use this to describe a plan or situation that seems uncertain and may not succeed or happen as you want :
▪ ‘What’s happening about your new job?’ ‘The whole thing’s rather iffy at the moment.’
▪ I was hoping to go to the beach today but it’s looking iffy because of the weather.
3. when two different results are possible
▷ something could go either way / something kʊd gəʊ ˌaɪðəʳ ˈweɪǁ-ˌiː-/ [verb phrase] informal
if you say that something such as a game or a decision could go either way, you mean that either of two results is equally possible :
▪ Legal experts following the case believe the trial could go either way.
▪ Spurs are a goal up but there are ten minutes to go and the match could still go either way.
▷ borderline /ˈbɔːʳdəʳlaɪn/ [adjective]
a borderline case is a situation in which the decision is not certain, for example about whether someone should pass an exam, get a job etc :
borderline case/decision etc
▪ In borderline cases we look at a student’s class work to decide the final exam result.
▪ It was a borderline decision whether to send him to prison or not.
▷ there’s a fifty-fifty chance /ðeəʳz ə ˌfɪfti fɪfti ˈtʃɑːnsǁ-ˈtʃæns/ spoken informal
if you say there is a fifty-fifty chance of something happening, you mean there is an equal chance of it happening or not happening :
▪ The weather forecast said there was a fifty-fifty chance of rain.
be fifty-fifty
there is a fifty-fifty chance
▪ It’ll be a tough game -- I’d say our chances of winning are fifty-fifty.
▷ it’s a toss-up /ɪts ə ˈtɒs ʌpǁ-ˈtɔːs-/ spoken
say this when you do not know which of two possibilities someone will choose, and you think each is equally likely :
▪ ‘Have you decided where to go on holiday?’ ‘Well, it’ll be either Portugal or Turkey -- it’s a toss-up.’
it’s a toss-up between
▪ I don’t know who’ll get the job. I guess it’s a toss-up between Carl and Steve.
4. when there are several different opinions about something
▷ debatable /dɪˈbeɪtəb ə l/ [adjective]
it is debatable whether
▪ It is debatable whether these alternative medical treatments actually work.
a debatable point
▪ Whether or not the government was right to arrest the protesters is an extremely debatable point.
▷ questionable /ˈkwestʃ ə nəb ə l/ [adjective]
something that is questionable seems doubtful and is likely to be wrong or untrue :
▪ The conclusions of the survey are questionable because the research was based on a very small sample of people.
it is questionable whether
▪ It is questionable whether the advertisements will increase sales.
▷ open to question/debate /ˌəʊpən tə ˈkwestʃ ə n, dɪˈbeɪt/ [adjective phrase]
something that is open to question or open to debate seems doubtful and needs to be checked or discussed :
▪ Many people feel that the safety of the drug is now open to question.
▪ Just why the guerrillas decided to shoot down the unarmed plane remains open to debate.
it is open to question/debate whether
▪ It is open to debate whether the new government is any better than the old one.
▷ moot point /ˌmuːt ˈpɔɪnt/ [singular noun]
something that different people have different opinions about :
▪ I’m not sure that bringing in computers has made our job easier. It’s a moot point.
▪ Whether or not increasing taxes will result in a fairer society remains a moot point.