uncertainty
[UK]/ʌn'sɜ:.tən.ti/ [US]/-'sɝ:.tən.tˌi/
noun [C or U]
* when something is not known, or something that is not known or certain
不确定性；不确定因素；不确定或未知的事物

1. Nothing is ever decided, and all the uncertainty is very bad for staff morale.
甚么都还没有决定，而这一切不确定因素都对员工士气非常不利。

2. Life is full of uncertainties.
人生充满了未知数。

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uncertainty ★★☆☆☆

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uncertainty
un·cer·tainty / Qn5sE:tnti; NAmE -5sE:rtn- / noun (pl. -ies)
1. [U] the state of being uncertain
   犹豫；迟疑；无把握:
   There is considerable uncertainty about the company's future.
   这家公司的前景相当渺茫。
   He had an air of uncertainty about him.
   他显出将信将疑的神情。
2. [C] something that you cannot be sure about; a situation that causes you to be or feel uncertain
   拿不定的事；令人无把握的局面:
   life's uncertainties
   人生的不可知因素
   the uncertainties of war
   战争带来的不确定性

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uncertainty noun

• ADJECTIVE considerable, great, high (esp. AmE), significant, substantial The 1990s were a period of high ~ for businesses. | fundamental It still leaves us with fundamental uncertainties about why the famine happened. | inherent the inherent ~ in economic and budgetary forecasts | current | growing | continuing, lingering | economic, financial, legal, political, scientific

• … OF UNCERTAINTY amount, degree, element

• VERB + UNCERTAINTY cause, create, generate, give rise to (esp. BrE), introduce, lead to | add, add to, increase Her comments will add to the ~ of the situation. | Her comments will add ~ to an already complicated situation. | reduce | eliminate, end, remove, resolve | bring an end to (BrE), put an end to (esp. BrE) | express, show I expressed some ~ on the point. | Her expression showed her ~. | face They are facing some ~ about their jobs.

• UNCERTAINTY + VERB surround sth the ~ surrounding the proposed changes in the law | exist Some ~ still exists about the safety of the new drug. | remain Considerable ~ remains about this approach.

• PREPOSITION ~ about a feeling of ~ about his future | ~ as to There's considerable ~ as to whether the government's job creation strategies will work. | ~ in There is considerable ~ in our understanding of global warming. | ~ over ~ over the safety of the drug | ~ regarding This will remove any uncertainties regarding possible contamination.

• PHRASES an area of ~ One area of ~ remains: who will lead the team? | an atmosphere of ~, a climate of ~ a climate of global economic ~ | a feeling of ~, a moment of ~ Chris experienced a moment of ~. | a period of ~, a source of ~ The economy became a source of ~ and discontent.

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uncertainty noun
⇨ doubt 1 (uncertainty about the future) ⇨ doubt 2 (life's uncertainties)

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uncertainty

noun
1 the uncertainty of the future
UNPREDICTABILITY , unreliability, riskiness, chanciness, precariousness, unsureness.
-opposite(s): CERTAINTY, PREDICTABILITY.

2 uncertainty about the future is always bad for morale
UNSURENESS , lack of certainty, indecision, irresolution, hesitancy, doubt, doubtfulness, wavering, vacillation, equivocation, vagueness, ambivalence, lack of conviction, disquiet, disquietude, wariness, chariness, scepticism; queries, questions; rare dubiety, incertitude.
-opposite(s): CERTAINTY.

3 she pushed the anxious uncertainties out of her mind
DOUBT , qualm, misgiving, apprehension, quandary, dilemma, reservation, niggle, scruple, second thought, query, question, question mark, suspicion.

4 the uncertainty of the weather
CHANGEABILITY , changeableness, unpredictability, variability, irregularity, fitfulness, unreliability, inconstancy, fickleness.
-opposite(s): PREDICTABILITY.

5 there was uncertainty in his voice
HESITANCY , tentativeness, unsureness, lack of confidence, diffidence, doubtfulness, doubt.
-opposite(s): CONFIDENCE.

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uncertainty

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uncertainty：不确知，不确定的事物；易变，靠不住

词根词缀： un- 否定 + -cert- 确信 + -ain 形容词词尾 + -ty 名词词尾

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