o·pen-end·ed

(ō′pən-ĕn′dĭd)

adj.

1. Not restrained by definite limits, restrictions, or structure.

2. Allowing for or adaptable to change.

3. Inconclusive or indefinite: "faintly bemused and uneasily open-ended about the whole horrible business" (Charles Michener).

4. Allowing for a spontaneous, unstructured response: an open-ended question.

o′pen-end′ed·ly adv.

o′pen-end′ed·ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

open-ended

adj

1. without definite limits, as of duration or amount: an open-ended contract.

2. denoting a question, esp one on a questionnaire, that cannot be answered "yes", "no", or "don't know"

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

o′pen-end′ed

adj.

1. not having fixed limits; unrestricted; broad.

2. allowing for future changes, revisions, or additions.

3. having no fixed answer.

[1815–25]

o′pen-end′ed•ness, n.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.	1.	open-ended - without fixed limits or restrictions; "an open-ended discussion" unrestricted - not subject to or subjected to restriction
	2.	open-ended - allowing for a spontaneous response; "an open-ended question" indeterminate, undetermined - not precisely determined or established; not fixed or known in advance; "of indeterminate age"; "a zillion is a large indeterminate number"; "an indeterminate point of law"; "the influence of environment is indeterminate"; "an indeterminate future"
	3.	open-ended - allowing for future changes or revisions; "open-ended agreements" changeful, changeable - such that alteration is possible; having a marked tendency to change; "changeable behavior"; "changeable moods"; "changeable prices"

Translations

open-ended

[ˌəʊpənˈendɪd] ADJ (fig) [contract, offer etc] → indefinido, sin plazo definido; [discussion] → sin desarrollo preestablecido

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

open-ended

[ˌəʊpnˈɛndɪd] adj (question) → aperto/a; (discussion) → senza conclusioni

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

The fact that the bid designs were identical for the actual and synthetic dichotomous-choice applications indicates that respondents are either underreporting their true values in the open-ended data (Hoehn and Randall 1987) or "yea saying" is occurring in the actual dichotomous-choice data (Cooper and Loomis 1992, 1993; Kanninen 1995; Kanninen and Kristrom 1993), or some of both is occurring in both types of data.

Valuing public goods: discrete versus continuous contingent-valuation responses

On the side of dynamism are people who embrace open-ended, evolving social and economic systems and an unknown but incrementally improving future.

Looking forward

Glue together the two longer edges to create an open-ended, cylindrical tube.

Crinkled doughnuts: math in the folds of a polyhedral crown

Drawing on Minimalism's dogmatic monumentality, Wheeler eschews its macho "thereness," extending its project in order to engage, even seduce, the spectator: his installations have a corporeal quality and present open-ended narratives that can only be completed by the gallery-goer.

Daniel Wheeler

Serendipitous findings of the study included: 1) certain modal coping and information responses to the caregivers, (2) response patterns of subgroups of caregivers, and (3) a content analysis of the open-ended question on the questionnaire.

Experience in coping with stroke: a survey of caregivers

Summary: New Delhi [India], Jan 5 (ANI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has moved Delhi's Patiala House Court seeking issuance of open-ended non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Manoj Arora, allegedly a close aide of Robert Vadra, in a money-laundering case.

ED seeks open-ended NBW against Vadra's close aide

Summary: The Union of Electricite du Liban employees Monday urged the government to approve a raise in wages for part-timers willing to work full time, warning that the failure of the Cabinet to meet their demands would result in an open-ended strike.

EDL employees urge govt to approve raise in wages

Current research on epistemological beliefs has primarily used three methods of data collection: Interviews, open-ended questionnaires, and Likert-scale questionnaires.

Assessing beliefs: the epistemological scenario

During the year, 38 new open-ended mutual funds were launched while 13 funds completed their terms and matured.

CDC cuts service tariffs for mutual funds

Summary: New Delhi [India], Jan 8 (ANI): Delhi's Patiala House Court on Tuesday reserved the order on Enforcement Directorate (ED) plea seeking the issuance of an open-ended non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Manoj Arora in a money laundering case.

Delhi court reserves ED plea to issue NBW against Manoj Arora

Open-ended art is defined as art activity where children are free to use their imagination as they explore a variety of materials without a planned outcome.

Open-Ended Art for Young Children