Phrase guide

up in the air

adj · adv · 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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1

adj

Meaning 1

Not yet resolved, finished, answered, decided or certain.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • I think I can do it quickly, but the exact schedule is still up in the air.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see up, in, the, air.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • He threw the ball high up in the air.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

very uncertain

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • left everything up in the air

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

not yet determined

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • plans are still up in the air

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: en l'aire — not yet resolved
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不了了之 (bùliǎoliǎozhī) — not yet resolved
  • Finnish: auki — not yet resolved
  • German: in der Schwebe hängen — not yet resolved
  • German: in der Schwebe sein — not yet resolved
  • Hungarian: lóg a levegőben — not yet resolved
  • Italian: nell'aria — not yet resolved
  • Italian: in alto mare — not yet resolved
  • Korean: 계류되다 (gyeryudoeda) — not yet resolved
  • Persian: اندروا (andarvâ) — not yet resolved
  • Polish: but see na dwoje babka wróżyła — not yet resolved
  • Polish: stać pod znakiem zapytania — not yet resolved
  • Russian: неопределённый (neopredeljónnyj) — not yet resolved
  • Russian: нерешённый (nerešónnyj) — not yet resolved
  • Russian: находя́щийся в подве́шенном состоя́нии / под вопро́сом (naxodjáščijsja v podvéšennom sostojánii / pod voprósom) — not yet resolved
  • Russian: пови́сший в во́здухе (povísšij v vózduxe) — not yet resolved
  • Spanish: en el aire — not yet resolved