- without definite limits, as of duration or amount: an open-ended contract
- denoting a question, esp one on a questionnaire, that cannot be answered "yes", "no", or "don't know"
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
o•pen-end•ed /ˈoʊpənˈɛndɪd/USA pronunciation
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- not having fixed limits:a wide-ranging, open-ended discussion.
- having no fixed answer:an open-ended test question.
o•pen-end•ed
(ō′pən en′did),USA pronunciation adj.
o′pen-end′ed•ness, n.
- not having fixed limits;
unrestricted;
broad:an open-ended discussion. - allowing for future changes, revisions, or additions:open-ended agreements.
- having no fixed answer:an open-ended question.
- open + end1 + -ed3 1815–25
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
open-ended adj
'open-ended' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):