What does undecideds mean?
“Undecideds” is the plural noun for people who have not yet made a choice or reached a decision. Its everyday use often describes voters before an election, with polling and news coverage treating them as a bloc whose preferences could affect the outcome. In broader contexts, it can refer to anyone hesitating between options—for example, customers choosing a product or participants choosing an activity. “Undecideds” is less common than the singular “undecided” or the adjective “undecided,” but it is useful when a group is being considered collectively. The term is normally used with “the,” as in “the undecideds,” and it is neutral in register. In political contexts, it can also imply that each person's vote is potentially influential. Its meaning comes from the prefix “un-,” meaning “not,” combined with “decided,” followed by the plural suffix “-s.”
nounPeople who have not yet made a choice or reached a decision, especially voters whose preferences remain uncertain.
- People who have not made a choice or reached a decision, especially voters whose preferences remain uncertain.
"The candidates appealed directly to undecideds in the closely fought election."
"Pollsters found that undecideds were more receptive to the opposition's message."
"The undecideds delayed choosing a restaurant until nearly everyone else had ordered."
The standard plural of “undecided” when referring collectively to people who have not made a choice.
"The latest survey showed that undecideds were evenly divided between the two candidates."
In election coverage, “undecideds” names a bloc whose silence may decide the result.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does undecideds come from?
The form “undecideds” combines the negative prefix “un-,” the word “decided,” and the plural suffix “-s.” During the Middle English period, “decide” entered English from Old French decider, ultimately from Latin decidere, a compound of de-, meaning “down” or “apart,” and caedere, meaning “to cut.” Related English forms include “decision,” “decisive,” and “indecision”; the plural “undecideds” became particularly associated with groups of uncertain voters.
Related word forms
How undecideds is actually used
The plural is standard in British and American English and is normally used collectively with the definite article: “the undecideds.” It is especially common in polling and election coverage, although “undecided people” may sound more natural in less political contexts.