inconclusive

Inconclusive is an adjective describing results, conclusions, or cases that do not provide a firm answer or decision. It indicates ambiguity, insufficient evidence, or outcomes that fail to decisively support one interpretation over others. The term is commonly used in scientific, medical, legal, and investigative contexts to signal that further information is needed.

In scientific research and clinical trials, an inconclusive result means that the study did not meet its predefined criteria for efficacy, safety, or other endpoints, or that data are too variable to draw a definitive conclusion. In medicine, a test may be inconclusive if a result falls into an intermediate range or if repeat testing yields conflicting findings. Causes include small sample sizes, measurement error, methodological limitations, and conflicting data.

In forensic science or law enforcement, inconclusive findings occur when evidence does not clearly link a suspect to a crime or when analyses cannot decisively distinguish between possibilities. In legal contexts, inconclusive evidence is often insufficient to meet the standard of proof for a verdict or ruling, prompting further investigation or additional data collection.

Etymology: The word derives from the prefix in- meaning not, attached to conclusive, which itself comes from Latin concludere "to close." Thus inconclusive describes the absence of a definitive closing or resolution.

See also uncertainty, ambiguity, evidence, replication.

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