Meanings
comparative more incertain · superlative most incertain · alternative incertaine
- obsoleteNot certain, uncertain.
...or to be worse then worst Of those, that lawlesse and incertaine thought, Imagine howling, 'tis too horrible.
c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 71, column 2, lines 126–1281 more example
And again, that as these acquisitions are in themselves generally worthless, so are the means to attain them not only base and infamous, but at best incertain, and always full of danger.
1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a FoundlingSynonyms: uncertain
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveNot certain, uncertain.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectivelacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinincertus“uncertain”
- Middle Frenchincertain
- Middle Englishincertayne
- Englishincertain
From Middle English incertayne, borrowed from Middle French incertain, derived in the 14th c. from certain, after Latin incertus (“uncertain”). By surface analysis, in- + certain.
More words from Middle English, Middle French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
incertain. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/incertain
“incertain.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/incertain. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “incertain,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/incertain.
Source: incertain on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.