Have you ever heard someone say a meeting was postponed indefinitely and wondered what happens next? The Indefinitely Meaning can seem confusing because it describes an unknown or unspecified period, not necessarily forever. This distinction matters in scheduling, time management, business communication, online booking, meetings, and calendar planning, where clear timing prevents misunderstandings. In this guide, you’ll discover how indefinitely works in everyday English usage and grammar, with practical examples that make its meaning easy to recognize.
You’ll also learn how indefinitely differs from words such as forever, permanently, temporarily, and until further notice. The article explores its use in formal writing, project management, broadcasting, announcements, and professional communication, where precise wording matters. Examples, comparisons, and common mistakes will help you use the term naturally and confidently. Although US and UK style guides may differ in certain preferences, indefinitely carries the same core meaning across standard English, making consistency the key to clear communication.
What Does Indefinitely Mean?
Indefinitely is an adverb that means for an unknown, unspecified, or unlimited period of time. The important point isn’t necessarily that something will never end. The important point is that no definite ending point has been established.
For example:
“The meeting has been postponed indefinitely.”
This sentence tells you that the meeting won’t happen at its original time. However, it doesn’t tell you when the meeting will happen instead.
Maybe the meeting will take place next week. Maybe it will happen several months later. Perhaps the organizers haven’t decided whether it will happen at all.
That’s why indefinitely creates an open-ended sense of time.
Indefinitely Meaning in Simple Words
In simple English, indefinitely means “without a fixed end date.”
You can think of it as an unfinished timeline:
Today → → → → → ?
The question mark represents the missing ending.
Compare that with a definite schedule:
Today → Monday → Event ends
The second timeline has a clear endpoint. The first doesn’t.
Cambridge also explains indefinitely as lasting for an unlimited or unknown amount of time.
Is Indefinitely an Adverb?
Yes. Indefinitely is an adverb. It usually modifies a verb or describes how long an action or situation continues.
Examples include:
- The project will continue indefinitely.
- The service has been suspended indefinitely.
- She plans to stay indefinitely.
- The negotiations were delayed indefinitely.
- The policy could remain in place indefinitely.
The related adjective is indefinite, which describes something that isn’t clearly fixed, exact, or limited.
The Main Idea Behind Indefinitely
The easiest way to understand indefinitely is to separate duration from certainty.
When someone gives you a specific duration, you know the timeframe:
“The office will close for three days.”
You know when the closure should end.
When someone says:
“The office will close indefinitely.”
You know the closure has no fixed end date.
That doesn’t prove the office will remain closed forever. It simply means there isn’t a definite reopening date at present.
This distinction matters because people often treat indefinitely and forever as interchangeable. In many situations, they’re not.
Does Indefinitely Mean Forever?
Not necessarily.
This is one of the most important points about the indefinitely meaning.
Forever generally expresses an endless duration. Indefinitely, by contrast, focuses on the absence of a defined endpoint. Something can continue indefinitely and later stop.
For example:
“The museum will remain closed indefinitely.”
This statement doesn’t guarantee permanent closure. It says that no reopening date has been established.
Now compare it with:
“The museum will remain closed forever.”
That statement makes a much stronger claim. It suggests that the closure will never end.
A useful rule is:
Indefinitely = the ending is unknown or unfixed.
Forever = there is no ending.
Context can blur that distinction in ordinary conversation. Collins notes that indefinitely can describe something continuing forever or until someone decides to change or end it.
So, when interpreting the word, pay attention to the surrounding information rather than treating it as a mathematical promise about time.
Think of Indefinitely as an Open-Ended Clock
Here’s a simple mental picture.
Imagine a clock that tells you when something begins but doesn’t show when it stops.
Start → ⏳ → ⏳ → ⏳ → ?
That’s the basic idea behind indefinitely.
Now compare it with:
Start → ⏳ → Stop
A fixed schedule gives you a destination. An indefinite schedule doesn’t.
This distinction becomes especially useful in announcements. Businesses, schools, transportation services, event organizers, and other organizations often need to communicate uncertainty without claiming that something is permanent.
For example:
“The construction project has been delayed indefinitely.”
The sentence communicates a real delay without inventing a new completion date.
What Does “Postponed Indefinitely” Mean?
“Postponed indefinitely” means delayed with no new definite date.
This phrase appears frequently in everyday communication, news reports, professional announcements, and formal notices. Cambridge specifically gives “postpone something indefinitely” as a common usage pattern.
Consider this example:
“The conference has been postponed indefinitely.”
The conference was supposed to happen. Something changed. Organizers have delayed it, but they haven’t provided a new date.
Postponed Indefinitely vs. Canceled
These phrases aren’t automatically identical.
| Phrase | What it usually communicates |
| Postponed indefinitely | Delayed without a new fixed date |
| Postponed until June | Delayed to a specific month |
| Canceled | The planned event will not take place |
| Delayed temporarily | Delayed for a limited or expected period |
| Rescheduled | Moved to another planned date |
If a concert is postponed indefinitely, it may eventually return to the calendar. If organizers explicitly cancel it, they have ended that particular plan.
However, context can change the practical implication. An indefinitely postponed event might eventually disappear entirely. The phrase itself simply doesn’t provide a definite new date.
Common Phrases Using Indefinitely
The word appears naturally with several verbs.
Closed Indefinitely
“The restaurant is closed indefinitely.”
This means the restaurant has stopped operating for now, but no reopening date has been announced.
It doesn’t necessarily mean the business has permanently shut down.
Suspended Indefinitely
“His membership was suspended indefinitely.”
This means the suspension has no specified ending date. The person’s return depends on a later decision, event, condition, or review.
Delayed Indefinitely
“The launch has been delayed indefinitely.”
The launch won’t happen according to the current schedule, and no replacement date has been fixed.
Extended Indefinitely
“The deadline was extended indefinitely.”
This suggests that no new final deadline has been established.
Stay Indefinitely
“You can stay here indefinitely.”
Here, the word describes an open-ended stay. The speaker isn’t giving a specific departure date.
Continue Indefinitely
“This process cannot continue indefinitely.”
This construction often appears when someone argues that a situation can’t continue without eventually reaching a limit or change.
Oxford lists verbs such as delay, defer, adjourn, and indefinitely-related time expressions among common usage patterns.
Indefinitely in Everyday English
You don’t need a formal setting to use this word. People use it when discussing uncertain plans, personal decisions, travel, work, and routines.
For example:
“I’m taking a break from social media indefinitely.”
The speaker hasn’t chosen a return date.
Another example:
“We’re staying with our relatives indefinitely.”
That suggests an open-ended stay without a firm departure plan.
A more casual alternative might be:
“I don’t know when I’ll be back.”
The second version sounds simpler. The first sounds slightly more deliberate or formal.
Indefinitely in Casual Conversation
Friend: “How long are you staying?”
You: “Indefinitely for now.”
This answer means you haven’t decided when you’ll leave.
Another example:
Friend: “When will you start playing again?”
You: “I’m taking some time off indefinitely.”
Again, the speaker isn’t promising a permanent break. There’s simply no set return date.
Indefinitely in Professional and Formal Writing
The word becomes especially useful when an organization needs to communicate uncertainty precisely.
Consider:
“The office will remain closed indefinitely due to ongoing repairs.”
This sentence sounds more formal than:
“We don’t know when the office will reopen.”
Both communicate uncertainty. The first fits naturally into an official announcement.
Common professional contexts include:
- Business closures
- Project delays
- Service interruptions
- Workplace policies
- Event postponements
- Contract arrangements
- Operational changes
- Membership suspensions
- Scheduling notices
The word can therefore make communication more concise without pretending that a definite timeline exists.
Indefinitely vs. Forever: What’s the Difference?
The difference becomes clearer when you look at what each word emphasizes.
| Word | Core idea | Does it require a known end? |
| Indefinitely | No fixed or specified endpoint | No |
| Forever | Endless duration | No; it implies none exists |
| Temporarily | Limited duration | Usually implies an eventual end |
| Permanently | Intended to remain without change | No planned return |
| For now | Current situation may change | No |
Suppose a company says:
“The service is unavailable indefinitely.”
The company hasn’t established when service will return.
If it says:
“The service is unavailable permanently.”
That communicates a much more final decision.
If it says:
“The service is unavailable temporarily.”
That suggests the interruption has a limited nature and normal service is expected to return.
The wording matters because each expression gives the reader a different expectation.
Indefinitely vs. Temporarily
These words sit close together, but they don’t carry the same message.
Temporarily usually suggests that something will end or return after a limited period.
“The road is temporarily closed.”
Drivers generally expect the road to reopen.
Indefinitely provides no such timeframe.
“The road is closed indefinitely.”
There is no announced point at which normal access will resume.
The difference can be subtle, especially when speakers don’t know the future themselves. Still, temporarily offers some expectation of an ending, whereas indefinitely leaves the ending unspecified.
Indefinitely vs. Permanently
Permanently communicates intended finality.
For example:
“The store has permanently closed.”
This tells readers that the business doesn’t plan to reopen.
Now consider:
“The store has closed indefinitely.”
The business may reopen later. The reopening date simply isn’t known or announced.
That’s why replacing indefinitely with permanently can change the meaning significantly.
Indefinitely vs. “Until Further Notice”
These expressions often overlap.
“The service is suspended indefinitely.”
“The service is suspended until further notice.”
Both communicate that there is no current end date.
However, until further notice emphasizes that another announcement or decision may change the situation.
For example:
“Classes are canceled until further notice.”
This sounds like the school expects to provide an update later.
Meanwhile:
“Classes are canceled indefinitely.”
The focus falls more strongly on the absence of a fixed timeframe.
Neither expression automatically means permanent cancellation.
Real-Life Examples of Indefinitely
Seeing the word in different contexts makes its meaning easier to remember.
| Context | Example | Meaning |
| Work | “The project is paused indefinitely.” | No restart date exists |
| Travel | “Flights have been suspended indefinitely.” | No confirmed return date |
| Events | “The festival was postponed indefinitely.” | No new date has been set |
| Business | “The store is closed indefinitely.” | No reopening date is known |
| Personal | “I’m staying here indefinitely.” | No fixed departure date |
| Online | “The account has been suspended indefinitely.” | No specified restoration date |
| Planning | “The decision has been delayed indefinitely.” | No firm decision date exists |
| Services | “The program is unavailable indefinitely.” | No known restoration date |
More Natural Sentence Examples
- The negotiations could continue indefinitely.
- She decided to work remotely indefinitely.
- The repairs may take an indefinite amount of time.
- The event has been postponed indefinitely.
- The service will remain unavailable indefinitely.
- He doesn’t want to wait indefinitely.
- The policy could remain in effect indefinitely.
- They plan to stay abroad indefinitely.
- The investigation has been suspended indefinitely.
- The company has extended the arrangement indefinitely.
Notice how the meaning stays connected to uncertain duration, even though the situations differ.
A Quick Case Study: Why Context Matters
Imagine a theater announces:
“Tonight’s performance has been postponed indefinitely.”
A reader knows three things immediately:
- The original performance won’t happen tonight.
- No replacement date has been announced.
- The future status remains uncertain.
Now imagine a second announcement:
“Tonight’s performance has been postponed until next Saturday.”
This one removes the uncertainty.
The difference is only a few words, yet the practical information changes dramatically. That’s why indefinitely is useful when a speaker knows what is happening now but cannot specify what happens next.
Common Mistakes With Indefinitely
The word is easy to understand once you avoid a few common traps.
Mistake: Assuming It Always Means Forever
This is the biggest misunderstanding.
Incorrect interpretation: “Indefinitely always means permanently.”
Better interpretation: “Indefinitely means there is no fixed or specified endpoint.”
The situation may eventually change.
Mistake: Assuming It Means Canceled
“Postponed indefinitely” doesn’t automatically mean “canceled.”
A postponed event may return months later. Without additional information, you shouldn’t assume the final outcome.
Mistake: Treating It Like a Specific Duration
Indefinitely isn’t a hidden number.
It doesn’t mean one week, six months, one year, or any other exact period.
Mistake: Using It When a Clear Deadline Exists
If you know the exact date, give the date.
Instead of:
“The report will be delayed indefinitely until March 15.”
A clearer sentence is:
“The report will be delayed until March 15.”
The word indefinitely becomes unnecessary when the endpoint is already defined.
When Should You Use Indefinitely?
Use indefinitely when you need to communicate an open-ended timeframe without inventing a deadline.
It’s especially useful when:
- The ending date hasn’t been decided.
- The situation depends on future events.
- A reopening date is unknown.
- A project has no confirmed restart date.
- A suspension has no scheduled end.
- Someone plans to stay without a definite departure date.
- An organization doesn’t want to promise a timeline it can’t guarantee.
In other words, indefinitely works best when uncertainty itself is important information.
Synonyms for Indefinitely
The best synonym depends on the sentence.
| Alternative | Best used when |
| Without a fixed end date | You want maximum clarity |
| For an unspecified period | Formal explanations |
| Until further notice | Waiting for a future announcement |
| Without a set timeframe | Business or planning contexts |
| For an unknown period | Plain-language explanations |
| Endlessly | Something appears to have no end |
| Without limit | Quantity or duration has no stated limit |
Be careful with forever. It isn’t always an exact substitute because it usually makes a stronger claim about permanence.
How to Remember the Indefinitely Meaning
Think of indefinitely as an open door on a timeline.
You know the situation exists. You know it may continue. What you don’t know is exactly when it ends.
A simple memory trick is:
Indefinitely = no definite ending.
The word itself comes from indefinite, meaning something that isn’t clearly fixed or limited. The suffix -ly forms the adverb.
Once you connect indefinitely with an unfixed endpoint, most examples become straightforward.
FAQs About Indefinitely
What does indefinitely mean in simple terms?
Indefinitely means for an unknown or unspecified amount of time. It tells you that no definite ending point has been established.
Does indefinitely mean forever?
Not necessarily. Indefinitely means there is no fixed end date, while forever generally means something never ends. An indefinite situation can eventually change.
What does postponed indefinitely mean?
Postponed indefinitely means something has been delayed without a new definite date. It doesn’t automatically mean the event has been canceled.
What does closed indefinitely mean?
Closed indefinitely means something has closed with no announced reopening date. The closure could later end, but no definite reopening time has been established.
Is indefinitely formal or informal?
Indefinitely works in both formal and informal English. It’s common in business announcements, news writing, everyday conversation, and professional communication.
What’s another word for indefinitely?
Depending on context, you can use without a fixed end date, until further notice, for an unspecified period, or without a set timeframe.
Can something last indefinitely and still end?
Yes. That’s one of the key ideas behind the word. Something can continue indefinitely because nobody has established an ending point, then stop when circumstances change.
Conclusion:
Understanding Indefinitely Meaning helps you recognize when something continues for an unknown period without a fixed ending. It doesn’t necessarily mean forever, permanently, or without eventual change.
Whether you’re discussing postponed events, business schedules, meetings, projects, or everyday plans, knowing this distinction improves English usage and communication. Use indefinitely when the timeframe remains uncertain, and choose precise alternatives when a definite deadline exists.
