undirected

adjective

un·​di·​rect·​ed ˌən-də-ˈrek-təd How to pronounce undirected (audio)
-dī-
: not directed : not planned or guided
undirected efforts

Examples of undirected in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The Nobel committee focused its remarks on the foundational aspects of artificial neural networks: the ability to feed unfathomably large and complex amounts of data into an algorithm that will then, more or less undirected, detect previously unseen and consequential patterns in those data. Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2024 Klein predicted that a few crows would learn the association between their undirected action and the reward, and start bringing coins of their own accord. Ben Crair, The New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2024 Online undirected robo-casting attracts thousands of unqualified candidates; and pits talent against each other in open-market bidding for the job. Jenelle Riley, Variety, 23 June 2023 Blind rage: Uncontrolled, undirected, unstoppable. Soraya Roberts, Longreads, 17 Mar. 2020 Unfortunately, standard low-diameter decomposition algorithms only work on undirected graphs — those in which every edge can be traversed in both directions. Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 18 Jan. 2023 Scientists have long been able to reactivate old memories, but only in a crude and undirected way. Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 23 Mar. 2012 Participants assigned to pray every day (either an undirected prayer or a prayer for a relationship partner) for 4 weeks drank about half as much alcohol at the conclusion of the study as control participants. Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 12 Aug. 2011 The Costanza character parallels generations of undirected school students who have never had the opportunity to learn how to follow their passion toward a career goal. Janine Yass, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'undirected.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of undirected was in 1596

Dictionary Entries Near undirected

Cite this Entry

“Undirected.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undirected. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

undirected

adjective
un·​di·​rect·​ed ˌən-də-ˈrek-təd How to pronounce undirected (audio)
-ˌdī-
: not directed
undirected efforts

More from Merriam-Webster on undirected

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!