non-guaranteed

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a noun

   Not certain to happen or be provided; without a promise or assurance.

   Grammar: Used before a noun, as in non-guaranteed income; it describes a thing, not a person.

   Patterns

   • non-guaranteed income
   • non-guaranteed returns
   • non-guaranteed element

   Freelance work gives you non-guaranteed income, which can vary each month.

   The policy has a non-guaranteed element, so payouts may change.

   They warned that the bonus was non-guaranteed and could be withdrawn.

2. 2adjectivebefore a nounbusiness

   Not covered by a warranty or promise of repair if something goes wrong.

   Grammar: Used before a noun, as in non-guaranteed repairs; the opposite is guaranteed.

   Patterns

   • non-guaranteed repairs
   • non-guaranteed service

   The cheap repair was non-guaranteed, so I paid again when it broke.

   Non-guaranteed service means you have no comeback if it fails.

Common combinations

non-guaranteed income

Artists often live on non-guaranteed income.

non-guaranteed return

The investment offers a non-guaranteed return.

non-guaranteed bonus

The non-guaranteed bonus depends on company profits.

non-guaranteed work

He took non-guaranteed work while looking for a full-time job.

Synonyms and how they differ

uncertain

General word for not knowing what will happen; non-guaranteed is more specific to promises and contracts.

unsecured

Used mainly for loans without collateral; non-guaranteed can describe income or bonuses too.

conditional

Means it depends on something else being true; non-guaranteed simply means no promise was made.

Opposites

Word family

guarantee verb

To promise that something will happen or be done.

guarantee noun

A promise, often in writing, that something will be done.

guaranteed adjective

Certain to happen or be provided.

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “non-guaranteed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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