adj · noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˌnɒnkəˈmɪtl̩/
US:/ˌnɑnkəˈmɪtl̩/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:N AA1 N K AH0 M IH1 T AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Tending to avoid commitment; lacking certainty or decisiveness; reluctant to give out information or show one's feelings or opinion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The Major's face was noncommittal.
The noncommittal Indians would give no counsel as to fording.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Failure to commit to a decision or course of action.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A voter etc. who has not yet committed to a decision.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adjective satellite
Meaning 4
refusing to bind oneself to a particular course of action or view or the like
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
her boyfriend was noncommittal about their future together
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From non- + committal.
Across languages
Translations
25 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
уклончив
(uklončiv)
— tending to avoid commitment
French:
évasif
— tending to avoid commitment
Galician:
evasivo
— tending to avoid commitment
German:
unverbindlich
— tending to avoid commitment
Hungarian:
diplomatikus
— tending to avoid commitment
Hungarian:
semleges
— tending to avoid commitment
Hungarian:
tartózkodó
— tending to avoid commitment
Hungarian:
óvatos
— tending to avoid commitment
Hungarian:
állást nem foglaló
— tending to avoid commitment
Hungarian:
elköteleződés nélküli
— tending to avoid commitment
Hungarian:
semmire sem kötelező
— tending to avoid commitment
Japanese:
どっちつかずの
(dotchi tsukazu no)
— tending to avoid commitment
Māori:
whēangaanga
— tending to avoid commitment
Norwegian Bokmål:
uforpliktende
— tending to avoid commitment
Norwegian Bokmål:
reservert
— tending to avoid commitment
Occitan:
evasiu
— tending to avoid commitment
Occitan:
reservat
— tending to avoid commitment
Polish:
niezdecydowany
— tending to avoid commitment
Polish:
wymijający
— tending to avoid commitment
Portuguese:
sem compromisso
— tending to avoid commitment
Spanish:
no comprometedor
— tending to avoid commitment
Spanish:
poco comprometedor
— tending to avoid commitment
Spanish:
sin compromiso
— tending to avoid commitment