What does indefinitely mean?
Indefinitely means for an unlimited or unspecified period of time, without a clear endpoint. It is widely used in legal, business, and administrative language, as in “the contract may be extended indefinitely,” and it can also describe something that has no fixed spatial, numerical, or conceptual limit. The word is more formal than everyday alternatives such as “forever” or “for a long time,” and its implication often depends on context: a service described as available indefinitely may simply continue until notice is given, while a period that lasts indefinitely suggests that no end is in prospect. Because indefinitely qualifies circumstances rather than naming a specific duration, it is useful when discussing plans, permissions, delays, resources, and abstractions that have not been assigned a definite limit.
adverbFor an unlimited period of time; without a known or definite endpoint. It can also mean without a fixed limit or boundary.
- For an unlimited or unspecified length of time.
- Without a fixed limit, bound, or endpoint.
"The resources are available indefinitely, so there is no need to rush."
"The agreement may be extended indefinitely if both parties agree."
"The road continued indefinitely across the featureless plain."
Indefinitely is the language of plans that have no expiration date: a promise can be kept indefinitely without saying “forever.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does indefinitely come from?
Indefinitely was formed in the 17th century from the adjective indefinite and the suffix -ly. Indefinite comes from Latin indefinitus, formed from in- (“not”) and definitus (“set, determined”), a derivative of definire (“to define, determine”). Its relatives include infinite, infinity, and infinitude, all developed from Latin infinitus, meaning “without limit.”
Related word forms
How indefinitely is actually used
The adverb is formal and common in legal, business, and academic contexts. In everyday speech, “forever” is often a more natural alternative. “Indefinitely” can suggest either a genuinely unlimited duration or, pragmatically, that no definite end has been specified.