Need another word that means the same as “vague”? Find 36 synonyms and 30 related words for “vague” in this overview.
Table Of Contents:
The synonyms of “Vague” are: obscure, dim, faint, shadowy, wispy, undefined, indistinct, indefinite, indeterminate, unclear, uncertain, undecided, unsure, unsettled, unknown, unestablished, unconfirmed, unresolved, unascertained, pending, outstanding, in the balance, up in the air, speculative, imprecise, inexact, rough, approximate, inexplicit, loose, ill-defined, generalized, ambiguous, equivocal, hazy, woolly
Vague as an Adjective
Definitions of "Vague" as an adjective
According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “vague” as an adjective can have the following definitions:
- Not precisely limited, determined, or distinguished.
- Lacking clarity or distinctness.
- Not clearly expressed or understood.
- Not clearly understood or expressed-Anatole Broyard- P.A.So.
- Of uncertain, indefinite, or unclear character or meaning.
- Thinking or communicating in an unfocused or imprecise way.
Synonyms of "Vague" as an adjective (36 Words)
ambiguous | Not clear or decided. Ambiguous inkblots. |
approximate | Close to the actual, but not completely accurate or exact. The approximate time of death. |
dim | Made dim or less bright. A dim figure in the distance. |
equivocal | Uncertain as a sign or indication. The evidence from bacteriologic analysis was equivocal. |
faint | Weak and likely to lose consciousness. The faint murmur of voices. |
generalized | Used or applied generally; not specific or specialized. The hedgehog is a primitive and generalized mammal. |
hazy | Indistinct or hazy in outline. The picture we have of him is extremely hazy. |
ill-defined | Poorly stated or described. |
imprecise | Lacking exactness and accuracy of expression or detail. The terms he used were imprecise and emotional. |
in the balance | Currently fashionable. |
indefinite | Not clearly expressed or defined; vague. Plans are indefinite. |
indeterminate | Not leading to a definite ending or result. A zillion is a large indeterminate number. |
indistinct | Not clear or sharply defined. His speech was slurred and indistinct. |
inexact | Not quite accurate or correct. An inexact description. |
inexplicit | Implied though not directly expressed; inherent in the nature of something. Inexplicit declarations. |
loose | Not close, compact, or solid in structure or formation. There is too much loose talk about the situation. |
obscure | Remote and separate physically or socially. Those who do not appreciate Kafka s work say his style is obscure. |
outstanding | Clearly noticeable. Did outstanding work in human relations. |
pending | Awaiting decision or settlement. Nine cases were still pending. |
rough | Ready and able to resort to force or violence- Herman Melville. Pushchairs should be capable of withstanding rough treatment. |
shadowy | Of uncertain identity or nature. The shadowy world of covert operations. |
speculative | Not financially safe or secure. Speculative knowledge. |
unascertained | Not confirmed or ascertained; unknown. |
uncertain | Not established beyond doubt; still undecided or unknown. Moving with uncertain or unsure steps. |
unclear | Not easy to see, hear, or understand. The reason for their actions is unclear to this day. |
unconfirmed | Not confirmed as to truth or validity. An unconfirmed report of shots being fired. |
undecided | Not yet having made a commitment. Our position on this bill is still undecided. |
undefined | Not precisely limited, determined, or distinguished. Undefined areas of jurisdiction. |
unestablished | Not established. An unestablished professor of anatomy. |
unknown | Being or having an unknown or unnamed source. An unknown source. |
unresolved | Characterized by musical dissonance harmonically unresolved. Many problems remain unresolved. |
unsettled | Not yet settled. An unsettled state of mind. |
unsure | (of a fact) not fixed or certain. Unsure of himself and his future. |
up in the air | Out of bed. |
wispy | Thin and weak- Edmund Wilson. The sky was blue with a few wispy clouds. |
woolly | Having a fluffy character or appearance. Woolly thinking. |
Usage Examples of "Vague" as an adjective
- Many patients suffer vague symptoms.
- A vague uneasiness.
- He had been very vague about his activities.
- Vague…forms of speech…have so long passed for mysteries of science.
- Vague feelings of sadness.
- Their descriptions of human behavior become vague, dull, and unclear.
- Saw a vague outline of a building through the fog.
Associations of "Vague" (30 Words)
ambiguity | The quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness. We can detect no ambiguity in this section of the Act. |
ambiguous | Having more than one possible meaning. An ambiguous situation with no frame of reference. |
ambiguously | So as to be open to more than one interpretation. This letter is worded ambiguously. |
ambivalent | Uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow. Was ambivalent about having children. |
blur | Make unclear indistinct or blurred. The pale blur of her face. |
blurred | Indistinct or hazy in outline. A landscape of blurred outlines. |
blurry | Unable to perceive clear or sharp images. Video projectors provided extremely blurry images. |
equivocal | Open to question. The officer s equivocal behavior increased the victim s uneasiness. |
equivocate | Be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information. The government have equivocated too often in the past. |
evasive | Deliberately vague or ambiguous. They decided to take evasive action. |
faint | Weak and likely to lose consciousness. Suddenly felt faint from the pain. |
hazy | Indistinct or hazy in outline. It was a beautiful day but quite hazy. |
illegibility | The quality of writing (print or handwriting) that cannot be deciphered. |
imprecision | The quality of lacking precision. All scientific measurements come with some degree of imprecision. |
indefinite | Not clearly expressed or defined; vague. Plans are indefinite. |
indeterminate | Of uncertain or ambiguous nature. 0 0 is an indeterminate form. |
indistinct | Not clearly defined or easy to perceive or understand. Indistinct shapes in the gloom. |
intangible | An intangible thing. The rose symbolized something intangible about their relationship. |
lightproof | Able to block out light completely. A lightproof envelope. |
nebulous | Lacking definition or definite content. Nebulous concepts like quality of life. |
noncommittal | Refusing to bind oneself to a particular course of action or view or the like. Her boyfriend was noncommittal about their future together. |
obscure | Make obscure or unclear. The stars are obscured by the clouds. |
opaque | An opaque thing. Technical jargon that was opaque to her. |
opaqueness | Incomprehensibility resulting from obscurity of meaning. |
subtlety | A subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude. The textural subtlety of Degas. |
uncertain | Not established or confirmed. Moving with uncertain or unsure steps. |
unclear | Having or feeling doubt or confusion. The law itself was unclear on that point. |
undifferentiated | Not differentiated. By six weeks the sexual glands are as yet undifferentiated between male and female. |
vaguely | In a way that is unfocused or lacks attention; absent-mindedly. He looked vaguely familiar. |
wispy | (of hair, threads, smoke, etc.) fine; feathery. The sky was blue with a few wispy clouds. |