Indeterminable vs. Indeterminate

Indeterminable

/ˌɪndɪˈtɜːmənəbəl/

Not able to be decided or determined.

Examples:

The depth of the ocean trench is indeterminable.Due to sparse records, the timeline remains indeterminable.The cause of the strange noise was indeterminable.

Synonyms:

undecidableunresolvableambiguous

Antonyms:

determinabledefiniteclear

Indeterminate

/ˌɪndɪˈtɜːmənət/

Not able to be determined or unclear

Examples:

The outcome remains indeterminate after the vote.Her indeterminate response left us puzzled.His intentions were somewhat indeterminate.

Synonyms:

ambiguousvagueunspecified

Antonyms:

certaindefiniteclear

Ways to tell them apart:

• Indeterminable indicates something cannot be determined, often due to limitations or obstacles.
• Indeterminate suggests something is not determined yet, often because it has not been decided or is vague.
• Remember: indeterminABLE has able, suggesting something is beyond the ability to determine, whereas indeterminate suggests a state of being unclear or undefined.
• Both words deal with the act of determining, but indeterminable often implies an impossibility while indeterminate implies a lack of clarity or resolution.
• Think of indeterminable as something you cant figure out yet, and indeterminate' as something undecided or indecisive.