open-ended question
nounUK /ˌəʊpən ˈɛndɪd ˈkwɛstʃən/
US /ˌoʊpən ˈɛndɪd ˈkwɛstʃən/
A question that has many possible answers and cannot be answered with just yes or no.
The teacher asked an open-ended question about what we did over the weekend.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A question designed to encourage a full, thoughtful answer rather than a short reply.
Interviewers often use open-ended questions to learn more about a candidate.
3. A query with no fixed set of answer choices.
The survey included an open-ended question where people could write their own ideas.
4. A question that invites exploration and has no single correct answer.
Her open-ended question about the future sparked a long class debate.