open-ended

This kind of open-ended investigation, often described as 'blue sky' research, can produce unexpected discoveries with benefits extending far beyond the original scientific question.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

When it comes to Halloween costumes, creatures are a time-tested crowd favorite, as well as a fairly open-ended prompt that can be left up to interpretation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

Government ethics ranked second behind the economy in Pew's open-ended survey, cited by nine percent of voters.

From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026

But as they—and the estimated 54.4 million children enrolled in K–12 schools in the United States—transition from open-ended summer days to structured school days, they’ll be spending less time outside or socializing freely with friends.

From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2026

I wasn’t sure how,the aliens were going to answer an open-ended question, especially since they’d never answered me before, but they were capable of interstellar travel; providing me with a date should have been cake.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson