WordGarden.ioagnostic
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /æɡnˈɒstɪk/
US
- /æɡˈnɑstɪk/
Meanings
Adjective
holding that the existence of God or ultimate reality is unknown or unknowable
not tied to one specific platform, technology, or system; able to work across alternatives
Noun
a person who believes that the existence of God or ultimate reality cannot be known
Beyond the definition
Imagine someone staring up at the stars, pondering big questions like "Is there a God?" An atheist might say, "No." A theist might say, "Yes." An agnostic, however, says, "I don't know, and perhaps I cannot know." It comes from the Greek word agnostos, literally meaning "without knowledge."
Agnosticism isn't just about religious doubt; it is an intellectual stance acknowledging the limits of human understanding. While it is most famous in spiritual debates, you can be agnostic about other things, too. A voter might be agnostic about a proposed law, meaning they haven't seen enough evidence to support or oppose it. It is a position of open-minded uncertainty, refusing to claim knowledge where there is none.
Agnosticism is the philosophical view that the existence of God, the divine, or the supernatural is unknown or inherently unknowable. It is vital to distinguish this from atheism. While an atheist actively disbelieves in a deity, an agnostic simply suspends judgment, claiming that the evidence is insufficient to prove the case one way or the other.
The term was coined in the 19th century by Thomas Henry Huxley. He wanted a label for his position that stood apart from the dogmatic claims of both organized religion and radical atheism. Within this philosophy, there are nuances: "strong" agnostics believe the nature of God is permanently beyond human comprehension, while "weak" agnostics simply believe we don't know yet.
In modern English, the word has evolved beyond philosophy. It is now frequently used in technology and business to describe something that is "independent" or "neutral." For example, software that is "platform-agnostic" works equally well on any operating system. In this context, the software doesn't "believe" in one specific system; it functions universally.
Ultimately, whether discussing the cosmos or computer code, an agnostic embraces a lack of bias. It is a position of intellectual humility—recognizing that what we don't know is just as important as what we do.
Examples
- 1
Religious belief
She was raised in a religious family, but as an adult she became agnostic.
- 2
Belief label
He describes himself as an agnostic rather than an atheist.
- 3
Personal decision
I'm still agnostic about whether moving abroad is the right choice for me.
- 4
Policy analysis
The report stays agnostic on which policy would work best.
- Patternagnostic on/about + issue
not supporting one side or claiming certainty
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Technical compatibility
We need a platform-agnostic app that works on both Android and iPhone.
- Domainplatform-agnostic
designed to work with different systems, not just one
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Do not confuse
Used with (collocations)
- agnostic about
- religiously agnostic
Word family
Explore
- religious belief
- epistemic humility
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- agnosticnounadjective
Forms
- agnosticspluralnounadjective