as in erroneous
not showing that something is certainly true
The results of the test proved inconclusive. an inconclusive argument
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Recent Examples of inconclusive
As for what kind of case Greene will build to defend Reiner, the legal tea leaves remain inconclusive.
—
Edward Segarra, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Videos of the encounter posted on social media are inconclusive, but if the animals were indeed Burmese pythons, this would likely be the first time aquatic courtship behavior was documented in Florida.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2026
The toddler showed no obvious signs of trauma when he was discovered, police said, and the city medical examiner is conducting additional testing after an initial autopsy was inconclusive.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
But the data remains inconclusive so far.
—New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inconclusive
Edward Segarra, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Videos of the encounter posted on social media are inconclusive, but if the animals were indeed Burmese pythons, this would likely be the first time aquatic courtship behavior was documented in Florida.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2026
The toddler showed no obvious signs of trauma when he was discovered, police said, and the city medical examiner is conducting additional testing after an initial autopsy was inconclusive.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
But the data remains inconclusive so far.
—New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inconclusive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inconclusive
Adjective
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That’s an extra $1,780 or so purely because the IRS concluded the erroneous position was intentional rather than mistaken.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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How to opt out Incorporating AI directly into Gmail could pose risks for Google, given that large language models can sometimes present erroneous or misleading information.—
Julia Doyle,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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What with its Charli xcx soundtrack and historically inaccurate latex costumes, Emily Brontë purists may opt to swerve a Valentine’s weekend viewing slot.—
Olivia Allen,
Vogue,
27 Jan. 2026
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And those traditional soil tests use acids to extract phosphorus from the soil, delivering inaccurate findings of how much phosphorus plants can actually access.—
Dinesh Phuyal,
The Conversation,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Attackers can intentionally inject misleading or manipulative prompts to bypass security protocols or generate incorrect responses.—
Connie Etemadi,
Miami Herald,
28 Jan. 2026
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Kiraly said the project experienced some delays due to incorrect measurements during construction, pushing completion back by a couple of months.—
Daniel I. Dorfman,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Mangione's lawyers argue the charges enabling prosecutors to seek capital punishment are technically flawed and that the government prejudiced Mangione by publicly declaring its intent before obtaining an indictment.—
MICHAEL R. SISAK,
Arkansas Online,
24 Jan. 2026
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There are risks of writing from the SGG perspective, just like there are risks of writing from the perspective of any deeply-flawed protagonist.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Experts immediately pointed out that Hassett had used a misleading method known as a cubic fit to make the mortality data appear less frightening.—
Rogé Karma,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
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For its misleading omissions, the Times story deserves a flunking grade.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But on Saturday, there were reports that things were going wrong with inboxes being overloaded with unwanted messages.—
David Phelan,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
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The Celtics prevailed despite being outscored 29-10 at the free-throw line — Brooklyn attempted 34 foul shots to Boston’s 16 — and finishing on the wrong end of a 58-41 rebounding margin.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inconclusive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inconclusive. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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