释义 |
uncertainty
un·cer·tain·ty U0033800 (ŭn-sûr′tn-tē)n. pl. un·cer·tain·ties 1. The condition of being uncertain; doubt.2. Something uncertain: the uncertainties of modern life.3. Statistics The estimated amount or percentage by which an estimated or calculated value may differ from the true value.Synonyms: uncertainty, doubt, dubiety, skepticism These nouns refer to the condition of being unsure about someone or something. Uncertainty, the least forceful, merely denotes a lack of assurance or conviction: I regarded my decision with growing uncertainty. Doubt and dubiety imply a questioning state of mind: "Doubt is part of all religion" (Isaac Bashevis Singer)."He is ... earnest, his earnestness seasoned with the proper amount of dubiety and humor" (Joseph Epstein). Skepticism generally suggests an instinctive or habitual tendency to question and demand proof: "A wise skepticism is the first attribute of a good critic" (James Russell Lowell).uncertainty (ʌnˈsɜːtəntɪ) n, pl -ties1. Also called: uncertainness the state or condition of being uncertain2. an uncertain matter, contingency, etcun•cer•tain•ty (ʌnˈsɜr tn ti) n., pl. -ties. 1. the state of being uncertain; doubt; hesitancy. 2. an instance of doubt or hesitancy. 3. unpredictability; indefiniteness. [1350–1400] Uncertainty See Also: FATE - Accidental as life —Lord Shaftesbury
- I am rather like a mosquito in a nudist camp; I know what I ought to do but I don’t know where to begin —Stephen Bayne
Mr. Bayne’s comment was made in 1986 upon assuming a newly created job. - Indecision is like the stepchild: if he doesn’t wash his hands, he is called
dirty; if he does, he is wasting the water —Madagascan proverb Modern day psychologists have adopted this as a neurosis and labeled it a “double bind.” - Indecision sent me forward and back, as if I were propelled by a piston in my back —Joan Hess
- Indecisive as a fellow who pulls back one leg as he moves forward with the other —Anon
Probably inspired by this Arabic proverb: “He advances one leg and draws back the other.” - Like children with a piece of ice … neither able to hold it nor willing to let it go —Plutarch
- Not quite sure of herself, like a new kitten in a house where they don’t care much about kittens —Raymond Chandler
- An obscure doubt brushed her, like a dove that wavers to a perch and is gone again without lighting —Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
- (He’d become about as) predictable as a Chinese earthquake —Joseph Wambaugh
- Predictable as a Tijuana dog race —Joseph Wambaugh
- Swing [uncertainly] like a hammock in the breeze —Anon
- Tentative as first taste of hot soup —Anon
- Tentative as a schoolgirl —Richard Ford
- Uncertain as the glory of an April day —William Shakespeare
- Uncertain … like a golf ball hit by a new golfer, continually getting close to the hole-in-one, but only getting into it by a fluke —Anon
- Uncertainty … as vertiginous as a lift descending down a bottomless shaft —Graham Masterton
- Up in the air, like jugglers in a freeze-frame —John Updike
ThesaurusNoun | 1. | uncertainty - being unsettled or in doubt or dependent on chance; "the uncertainty of the outcome"; "the precariousness of his income"uncertainness, precariousnessquality - an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone; "the quality of mercy is not strained"--Shakespearedoubt, doubtfulness, dubiousness, question - uncertainty about the truth or factuality or existence of something; "the dubiousness of his claim"; "there is no question about the validity of the enterprise"indefiniteness, indefinity, indeterminacy, indeterminateness, indetermination - the quality of being vague and poorly definedunpredictability - lacking predictabilityimprobability, improbableness - the quality of being improbable; "impossibility should never be confused with improbability"; "the improbability of such rare coincidences"fortuitousness - the quality of happening accidentally and by lucky chancespeculativeness - the quality of being a conclusion or opinion based on supposition and conjecture rather than on fact or investigation; "her work is highly contentious because of its speculativeness and lack of supporting evidence"sure thing, certainty, foregone conclusion - something that is certain; "his victory is a certainty" | | 2. | uncertainty - the state of being unsure of somethingdoubt, doubtfulness, dubiety, dubiousness, incertitudecognitive state, state of mind - the state of a person's cognitive processesarriere pensee, mental reservation, reservation - an unstated doubt that prevents you from accepting something wholeheartedlydistrust, mistrust, suspicion, misgiving - doubt about someone's honestydisbelief, incredulity, mental rejection, skepticism - doubt about the truth of somethingindecision, indecisiveness, irresolution - doubt concerning two or more possible alternatives or courses of action; "his indecision was only momentary but the opportunity was lost"peradventure - doubt or uncertainty as to whether something is the case; "this proves beyond peradventure that he is innocent"suspense - an uncertain cognitive state; "the matter remained in suspense for several years"certainty - the state of being certain; "his certainty reassured the others" |
uncertaintynoun1. unpredictability, precariousness, state of suspense, ambiguity, unreliability, fickleness, inconclusiveness, chanciness, changeableness a period of political uncertainty unpredictability predictability, conclusiveness2. doubt, confusion, dilemma, misgiving, qualm, bewilderment, quandary, puzzlement, perplexity, mystification The magazine ignores all the uncertainties males currently face. doubt confidence, assurance, certainty, sureness3. hesitancy, hesitation, indecision, lack of confidence, vagueness, irresolution There was a hint of uncertainty in his voice.4. unsureness, doubt, scepticism, ambivalence, disquiet, indecision, vagueness, hesitancy, vacillation, lack of conviction, irresolution, dubiety, doubtfulness There is genuine uncertainty about the party's future plans.uncertaintynoun1. The quality or state of being ambiguous:ambiguity, ambiguousness, cloudiness, equivocalness, indefiniteness, nebulousness, obscureness, obscurity, unclearness, vagueness.2. A lack of conviction or certainty:doubt, doubtfulness, dubiety, dubiousness, incertitude, mistrust, question, skepticism, suspicion, wonder.Translationsuncertainty
uncertainty[¦ən′sərt·ən·tē] (science and technology) The estimated amount by which an observed or calculated value may depart from the true value. uncertainty
uncertainty (ŭn″sĕrt′ăn-tē) The state of being uncertain; feelings of doubt, ambiguity.Uncertainty Related to Uncertainty: uncertainty principleCERTAINTY, UNCERTAINTY, contracts. In matters of obligation, a thing is certain, when its essence, quality, and quantity, are described, distinctly set forth, Dig. 12, 1, 6. It is uncertain, when the description is not that of one individual object, but designates only the kind. Louis. Code, art. 3522, No. 8 5 Co. 121. Certainty is the mother of repose, and therefore the law aims at certainty. 1 Dick. 245. Act of the 27th of July, 1789, ii. 2, 1 Story's Laws, 6. His compensation for his servicer, shall not exceed two thousand dollars per annum. Gordon's Dig. art. 211. 2. If a contract be so vague in its terms, that its meaning cannot be certainly collected, and the statute of frauds preclude the admissibility of parol evidence to clear up the difficulty; 5 Barn. & Cr. 588; S. C. 12 Eng. Com. L. R. 827; or parol evidence cannot supply the defect, then neither at law, nor in equity, can effect be given to it. 1 Russ. & M. 116; 1 Ch. Pr. 123. 3. It is a maxim of law, that, that is certain which may be made certain; certum est quod certum reddi potest Co. Litt. 43; for example, when a man sells the oil he has in his store at so much a gallon, although there is uncertainty as to the quantity of oil, yet inasmuch as it can be ascertained, the maxim applies, and the sale is good. Vide generally, Story, Eq. El. Sec. 240 to 256; Mitf. Pl. by Jeremy, 41; Coop. Eq. Pl. 5; Wigr. on Disc. 77. UNCERTAINTY. That which is unknown or vague. Vide Certainty. uncertainty Related to uncertainty: uncertainty principleSynonyms for uncertaintynoun unpredictabilitySynonyms- unpredictability
- precariousness
- state of suspense
- ambiguity
- unreliability
- fickleness
- inconclusiveness
- chanciness
- changeableness
Antonyms- predictability
- conclusiveness
noun doubtSynonyms- doubt
- confusion
- dilemma
- misgiving
- qualm
- bewilderment
- quandary
- puzzlement
- perplexity
- mystification
Antonyms- confidence
- assurance
- certainty
- sureness
noun hesitancySynonyms- hesitancy
- hesitation
- indecision
- lack of confidence
- vagueness
- irresolution
noun unsurenessSynonyms- unsureness
- doubt
- scepticism
- ambivalence
- disquiet
- indecision
- vagueness
- hesitancy
- vacillation
- lack of conviction
- irresolution
- dubiety
- doubtfulness
Synonyms for uncertaintynoun the quality or state of being ambiguousSynonyms- ambiguity
- ambiguousness
- cloudiness
- equivocalness
- indefiniteness
- nebulousness
- obscureness
- obscurity
- unclearness
- vagueness
noun a lack of conviction or certaintySynonyms- doubt
- doubtfulness
- dubiety
- dubiousness
- incertitude
- mistrust
- question
- skepticism
- suspicion
- wonder
Synonyms for uncertaintynoun being unsettled or in doubt or dependent on chanceSynonyms- uncertainness
- precariousness
Related Words- quality
- doubt
- doubtfulness
- dubiousness
- question
- indefiniteness
- indefinity
- indeterminacy
- indeterminateness
- indetermination
- unpredictability
- improbability
- improbableness
- fortuitousness
- speculativeness
Antonyms- sure thing
- certainty
- foregone conclusion
noun the state of being unsure of somethingSynonyms- doubt
- doubtfulness
- dubiety
- dubiousness
- incertitude
Related Words- cognitive state
- state of mind
- arriere pensee
- mental reservation
- reservation
- distrust
- mistrust
- suspicion
- misgiving
- disbelief
- incredulity
- mental rejection
- skepticism
- indecision
- indecisiveness
- irresolution
- peradventure
- suspense
Antonyms |